When Aliens Attack!
by Mecha74
Summary: The king of the monsters has fallen. Now several alien races will battle for control of the Earth. Story is an expanded Showa era with some alterations. Also crosses over into Daiei, Tsuburaya and other studios.
1. Dramatis Personae

THIS IS A MULTI-AUTHOR COLLABORATION!

To help clarify something we feel the need to say that we have combined characters and kaiju from the Showa era(1954-75), the Heisei era(1984-95) and the Millennium films as well. But our story as a whole is deeply steeped and rooted in the Showa era more than anything else. As a result of this sort of...combining, for lack of a better term, certain events in kaiju history have been either altered slightly, changed completely or totally removed depending, but some things have remained exactly the same.

The events of 'Godzilla's Revenge' and 'Godzilla vs. Megalon' do not transpire in this story's timeline and the events of Godzilla vs. Gigan have been moved to the present.

Now without further ado...

WHEN ALIENS ATTACK!

PROLOGUE

Humanity remains almost completely unaware of the history of its own existence, yet a great battle has raged across the galaxy for millions of years. The Cosmos were rendered homeless eons before life existed on Earth. They spread across the stars in an attempt to preserve their race and came to Earth and the fifth planet from the sun they named Mysteroid. Their destiny was to populate new worlds and fight the monsters that eventually, and always, came.

Life is now a decade into a new millennium, at which point in time we find ourselves. The Earth has not had any ongoing relations with intelligent lifeforms from outer space since 1965 when the Xians attempted to take over our planet to make it a colony of Planet X.

Despite initially trying to dupe the Earth into letting them 'borrow' Godzilla and Rodan to rid themselves of King Ghidorah in trade for a cure for all of mankind's various illnesses and disease, their true intentions soon became evident. The Xians were defeated and peaceful relations established with their desolate, rocky world.

Friendship with Planet X was initially welcomed by the World Space Authority, no doubt because of the hope of some day actually having access to such a 'miracle drug'. At the same time, Godzilla and Rodan would be two less kaiju Japan would have to deal with. After being released from control by the Xians' computers, they fought King Ghidorah and sent him fleeing back into space.

Over the years, the novelty of realizing that there actually were other species and inhabited planets even within our own solar system wore off. The Xians went about their lives and we, ours. Although of extraterrestrial origin, the arrival of Hedorah in a comet in 1971 was simply seen as a random occurrence. Defeated by Godzilla, it was soon realized that the people of Earth could be an even bigger threat to the planet than alien lifeforms.

Despite occasional rampages by Godzilla and other kaiju, Japan continued to grow in economic and political power and the rest of the world concentrated on dealing with its own problems. Little did the surface dwellers realize that both above and below them, there were others who desired to change, if not outright destroy, our present way of life.

PART I: PLANS AND PREPARATIONS

Chapter One: DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Asteroid 98642, as it was known on Earth, is one of millions of pieces of debris left over from the creation of the planets - and the destruction of one - which now orbit between Mars and Jupiter. To the average intelligent being, this 14-kilometer long chunk of metal and rock was not unique. Its size was certainly nothing to marvel at; other bodies in the waste dump of the Solar System easily dwarfed it. To any Earth observers, it was merely a five digit number, stockpiled away in the seemingly infinite files collected since the dawn of the Space Age.

Truly, one would not suspect 98642 to hold any secrets that would interest anyone other than geologists or astronomers. But as time passed, the events put into motion on this humble asteroid would quake the very foundation of its neighboring planets. If any sentient races could have possibly known what was being discussed there or of the future repercussions that would result, they would have focused more attention on this particular piece of space rock.

DATE: MARCH 12, 1972

The broader surface of 98642 was facing away from the sun. In a few hours, the dark side would fully rotate toward the star and reveal, in a glimmering brilliance, its secret. Attached to the rock like a tick was a magnificent star ship which had been there for a week now. Its engineers had piloted the craft through the galaxy so that no possible instrument could detect its course. The ship lay in wait while deep within its bowels, its next instructions were being determined.

In the center of the long, slender vessel was a huge oval-shaped complex. If one were to walk into this area, they would be shrouded in darkness. Small lights along a walkway guided spectators of the events that occurred in the center of the room. A blue light cascaded down upon two seating areas. One was a two-story structure with five tiered rows of benches stretching from the forty foot ceiling to nearly ground level. The other, directly in front of it, consisted of four shorter benches in rows of two, blue light outlining their reflective black surfaces. Behind these, the room gave way to a long, comparatively narrow corridor dotted with thin streaks of blue luminaries stretching hundreds of meters into black nothingness.

This corridor housed thousands of benches built into the walls and - with its occupants - was nearly invisible in the dim light. The seating was stacked in rows of five. Although the great complex's purpose mirrored that of an Earth senate, it was nowhere near democratic in origin and any similarity was only in its basic appearance. This was a larger, more ominous and darker place than anything mankind had yet to conceive.

The oval and corridor began to fill with life. From either side of the complex, hundreds of black doors simultaneously raised into the ceiling, allowing a thunder of unearthly voices and thousands of footsteps. Spectators quickly took their seats, disappearing into the pitch black except for their legs, illuminated by the guiding lights. The multitudes hushed as out of the seemingly infinite abyss came other beings who took their places at the benches and tables on the oval floor, their smooth, glossy round backs reflecting some of the blue light in the room. They resembled the familiar cockroach, except that they were five to six feet tall and walked upright on their four hind legs in a hunched manner.

This small group were the Chairmen - representatives for all aspects of the race. Some were in charge of military operations, others dealt with economic issues, etc. When they had taken their seats, the doors above them opened and fifteen more cockroaches entered. To the human eye, they appeared no different than the others but these were the Revered, the highest level of authority within the entire race. It wasn't just their power which helped maintain their rule but the respect and adoration given them. They did not profusely express their emotions but they were there, lodged deep within their cold logic. The closest thing the cockroaches had to gods were these Fifteen. A member of this group began the proceedings.

"We are gathered here today to decide the next phase of our plans for the planet Earth." The amazing acoustics of the spherical complex made him sound as if he were right next to each individual. "We will now hear from our Chairmen."

"Excellencies," spoke a military official in the clucking language of the Nebulans. "While our forces are strong and the Gigan is near completion, I must say that a military assault would be an unwise decision. We may be able to hold our own if we were aided by some other force but I do not have an idea as to who would be willing to assist us."

Another cockroach rose to its feet. "Excellencies, I am in agreement with the General. A military offensive is out of the question. I propose a capture of the entire world's kaiju -"

"Excellencies, I propose we do not simply copy ideas from previous extraterrestrial invasions," spoke another individual. The Chairmen snapped their heads around. Although there was no punishment for interrupting another Chairman, it was highly irregular, considered a major disturbance and most illogical.

"Fumitis, would you care to enlighten us as to why you have interrupted your fellow Chairman, other than holding your opinion higher than his?" asked one of the Revered. If it hadn't been Fumitis who had spoken, the other representative would have continued but the Revered had grown to listen to him because many of his ideas had been of great value to their race. The others cursed under their breath at this bias, mostly out of jealousy.

"Yes, your Excellency. I most certainly will. And my humblest apologies to my fellow Chairman for this rude interjection but I do not wish to sit through his fumbling of a plan that I know will not succeed. I do agree that a use of force is a foolish choice with our weapons alone. In fact, it is borderline insanity. The capture of kaiju is also a preposterous idea. To catch them secretly, implant them with mind control devices - which are a risk in themselves - dispatch the kaiju and track their brain patterns would doom us before we even began. Kaiju are too unstable and we do not possess the technology to precisely control a dozen monsters at once. One or two, perhaps, but not all of them. What we need is to make peace with the creatures of Earth."

"And how is this idea any better than mine?" shouted the Chairman who had been interrupted.

"I am as baffled by this concept as the Chairman is," admitted one of the Revered. "We cannot make peace with the Earth creatures. They closely mirror the creatures from Nebula M Space Hunter and would certainly lead the planet toward the same destruction. There can be no peace."

"I do not mean a lasting peace, Excellency. Just a mask. We appear friendly toward them, be of service to their peoples and assist them. Then we plant seeds of corruption within their political system. If you choose my plan, I can promise you the Earth in 60 years at the very latest." The leaders talked amongst themselves for a few minutes and seemed impressed by the idea.

"Where will you have us begin this campaign for peace?" spoke one of the Fifteen.

"We will start in the Pacific Ocean."

IN the ocean? They thought to themselves. Sensing their confusion, Fumitis quickly continued.

"I will explain, your Excellencies, but to do so, I feel a summary of the planet's civil history is in order. Millions of years ago, an entire continent filled most of the Pacific Ocean. At that point in time, the people of Earth were becoming technologically advanced at a surprising rate. If they had continued in such a fashion, they would have no doubt surpassed us by millennia. They were members of the humanoid Nebulan race called 'Cosmos'. They eventually broke into factions, one calling themselves SEATOPIA, the other, MU. Mu eventually divided and the small countries of Atlantis and Okinawa emerged.

"Those Nebulans did not entirely lose contact with each other and continued to keep tabs on their brethren up until the near extinction of the race. Over the centuries, tensions mounted. Each society created their own kaiju - bio-weapons to protect them in case war broke out. Their petty rivalries were not what would destroy them. Death Ghidorah, a biologically engineered weapon and devastator of entire solar systems from an unknown alien source, wreaked havoc on Earth. Every kaiju that had been created fought off the beast but great casualties occurred. There was peace for a while but suspicions and unease returned quickly. The most powerful weapons and kaiju of each country fought one another in a gigantic war that nearly obliterated the Cosmos. This war, along with a tectonic upheaval, caused most of the continent to sink under the ocean. Atlantis was completely destroyed and the mountainous remnants of Okinawa exist only as a chain of small islands.

"Mu had already started a colony beneath the sea which they fled to when the land mass sank. Seatopia's scientists had foreseen this possibility and enclosed their capital city in a dome to protect at least some of their people. Groups of Cosmos and small numbers of kaiju inhabited the land that remained above water. I estimate there are no more than three of each species of kaiju at most that survived the war alive today. The Cosmos, now with no way to understand their technologies, became more primitive, starting over and eventually becoming humankind."

"How did you come across such a history of Earth?" one of the high chancellors interrupted. "We were aware of the Nebulans' efforts to colonize other planets but most of the records were destroyed."

"For several months now, I have had spies both with the humans and the remaining undersea kingdoms who were sent ahead of our ship. I came across the undersea kingdoms by some of my informants' studies of human myths and legends. I originally ignored them but recent underwater explorations proved they had validity. Forgiveness, your Excellencies, if I sound offending of your wisdom but there ARE records following the demise of the former Nebulans. It took much searching but my subordinates did find them in computer banks amongst some of our more hedro-infested ghost towns. I would have shared my findings with your Excellencies sooner but I felt that the plan I am putting forth had the possibility of not reaching its full potential through the meddling of others. I offer my most humble apologies." Some of the Revered exchanged glares of annoyance at the Chairman's actions and re-situated themselves in their seats.

"There is no need to apologize, Chairman Fumitis," spoke another halfheartedly. "In the past, your ideas have shown to be very fruitful for our race. One might even say that a large part of this present operation would not exist if it were not for you."

"Truly," spoke another in agreement. "How does this history of the Nebulans fit into your plan?"

"As I was going to explain, Excellency, the peace I propose will take time but I believe it is the best option we have. I will start with the undersea kingdoms of the Pacific - Seatopia, precisely. To my knowledge, none of them have come in contact with an alien race so they should be quite shocked when one asks if it can form an alliance with them. I will offer the possibility of enjoying peace with Mu as well and then with the entire world. I will need to have false skins fabricated for each Nebulan that sets foot on Earth so as to appear human. I want to cause as little disturbance as possible. All peoples, either on land or underwater, could aid each other immensely. All they need is a mediator. If I can make all sides listen to me and co-operate, I should gain enough trust to be accepted by their societies."

"How do you intend on gaining the trust of humans?" Another Chairman behind Fumitis stood up with what looked to be an organic gelatin-like piece of 'paper' raised in one of his clawed forelimbs. "According to the outline of their world's history that has been provided to us, they have suffered several attacks by extra-terrestrial invaders within the past half century. Why should they now trust YOU above any others?" Fumitis exhaled in contempt. He was just about to address that point.

"I have a complete biological and historical analysis of the kaiju dubbed GODZILLA." Fumitis held up his own series of 'papers'. "I ask that this monster not be taken lightly. Godzilla is the most powerful creature on Earth. All of the world's greatest technologies, armies and kaiju can not defeat it but I will get our forces to. When I garner their respect, I will initiate a project to send Godzilla into space within a rocket. A similar method was used to rid the Earth of the original turtle monster, Gamera of Atlantis, which destroyed much of Japan in the 1960s of Earth's calendar. This will leave the planet without its greatest defense.

"Then, I will undermine their societies with the deaths of selected politicians, bombings of certain locations, corruption among world leaders and major losses of capital. Fanatics will seemingly cause all of this. When they cannot pinpoint the group responsible, they will begin looking at one another. I have seen in my studies that humans, even when faced with a utopia, are still reluctant to side with their brethren. Ever suspicious, they will make their accusations. Threats will follow. They will create coalitions with one another and when those fail, they will side with their one-time enemies. War will occur as the death toll increases. We will stay neutral under the guise that we do not wish to harm any of their peoples. And when their forces are depleted, we obliterate them all from the face of the Earth!"

The spectators and even some Chairmen rose to their slender feet in gracious applause. Had any living creature been within miles of the ship and the vacuum of space not absorbed all sound, they would have thought thunder was erupting from the acoustically brilliant hall. The Revered were pleased with the plan and allowed the near-unanimous approval to continue for several minutes. Then with one unified bellow, they silenced the entire horde. Everyone remained standing in silence as Fumitis stood proud with confidence in his plan. He would succeed. He always succeeded.

DATE: SEPTEMBER 21, 1976

Cool air blew across his glass-like titanium desk although the Controller didn't feel it through his thick leather suit and gloves. He felt a chill nonetheless for this was no ordinary situation. Now that the primary computer had been re-connected and improved, the fleet under construction and the planet's few natural resources mined on a more regular basis, things seemed to be slowly coming back to normal. Or at least what was normal until 11 years ago.

The Xians were now able to sustain a larger population and breeding and cloning had recently been resumed. Because most of the best specimens had been killed during the war on Earth, new ones needed to be bred for this purpose. It was a tedious process, what with severe deformities and imperfections resulting so finding a decent source to copy was difficult. But once it was discovered, endless drones could be produced based on its DNA. To avoid such inefficient breeding techniques, their scientists hoped that they would soon be able to create an artificial 'coding' structure to serve as a copying base.

All this was not the reason for Sar'rious' chill. It lay with the discovery made in the hatchery several hours ago. The mother - just another clone - had died during childbirth. Readings indicated sudden bursts of energy strong enough to light up the entire room. The child was in perfect physical health. Since then, every known test had been run on the infant to determine what the source of its unusual aura was. None of the findings made sense and pointed to impossible conclusions. Finally, one of the miracle workers searched the computer banks on a most off-chance reason for the baby's condition. What he found was both shocking and awe-inspiring. They all knew of such a possibility but the odds were so remote that they dared not suspect it possible. But now that they had compared hard historical facts with their tests, it was illogical to deny the likely conclusion.

Confirmation was what Sar'rious awaited. He knew that another invasion of Earth was inevitable. His people needed water, good land, resources and mitochondria but he was weary of taking a similar approach to those of the past. He knew a more peaceful route was needed but great military strength was also essential. Even so, the Earthlings had defeated their highly advanced weaponry seven years ago. The Controller could not allow the same mistake to happen again. He needed assurance that he would have the upper hand and a weapon untouchable by the enemy. If the tests proved that this child was what they suggested, it would mean certain victory for the Xians. The door to his office slid open and the lights about the room brightened as a soldier walked in.

"Controller, there is no doubt," the drone said in their usual flat, unfeeling and coarse voice. "The boy is a Kaiser."

DATE: FEBRUARY 2, 1979

In the capital city of Tarin on the planet Setei, a life-altering decision was being discussed in the main council chambers of the Simeon parliament that could forever affect the fate of the Empire. Behind closed doors around a long stone table were the esteemed members of the World Council who were among the most powerful apes of the entire race. At the head of the table was the President of the Council, old and wise and wearing on his face the stress of the situation like a sickness that was slowly eating away at him. To his right was an old scientist with patches of gray in his fur, the bags under his eyes telling the tale of an ape who had not slept for over 72 hours.

"So... this is it?" The President asked as he gazed at the blueprints for a massive spaceship. He rested his head in his hands as if too tired to otherwise hold it up.

"Yes, Mister President. This ship will be the bastion of hope for all our people," the scientist stated with pride.

"Despite the fact that its capacity is only 500,000?"

"I am sorry, sir, but as we all know, our world has little time left. There simply is not enough time to build anything larger than this. This design factors in maximum occupancy, along with the time needed for acquiring the necessary resources, construction and choosing the crew and passengers in accordance with our procedures and law."

"I see. What will it cost to build it?" The scientist hesitated, the sudden uneasiness on his face not escaping notice.

"A conservative estimate places the final cost at... 132 billion in adjusted credits, sir," he sighed.

"What?" one of the other members blurted out.

"That is ludicrous!" another chimed in.

"How are we supposed to acquire such funds?" a third spoke up as the entire room degenerated into a series of shouts and chaotic bickering. The ruckus abruptly ended when the President sounded a foghorn-like device that silenced everyone present and restored order.

"And I assume this expenditure does not include the new Mechagodzilla or the planned cybernetic implants for Titanosaurus?"

"No, sir, I am afraid it does not," he replied as one of the other members abruptly stood to speak.

"With all due respect, Mister President, this is insane! The kind of money he is suggesting is unthinkable! It would take the combined pooling of all the wealth of every person in this room, including yourself, to accomplish this!" A long silence followed which the President eventually broke after he lowered his head for a moment, exhaled deeply and slowly rose from his chair.

"Then that is what we will do." The council room erupted into a chorus of argumentative shrieks and curses in total disbelief of his decision. Once again he was forced to sound the horn. "Silence, all of you!" he roared in a commanding tone that got everyone's attention. "Listen to me, every single one of you! Our world is on the brink of death. We are facing extinction, with no other ray of hope or options available to us! What good will our wealth do us when we are dead? The only hope for our people - for our way of life and for future generations of the Simeon race - lies in this plan! It is either this... or death. My decision is final. We shall proceed with the plans as they have been presented."

"Very good, sir. Is there anything else?" the scientist asked.

"Yes. For those who will be chosen to make the journey, aside from essential personnel and their families, only the youngest and the strongest shall be chosen to ensure fertile and healthy breeding between virile males and receptive females for repopulating our race. The weak, terminally ill and the elderly shall remain behind... including ourselves," the President added as the Council members' faces went pale.

"Ve-very good, Mister President. I shall begin immediately," he stuttered, shaken by the leader's final words. He scooped up the blueprints and brought his arm up to his chest in the Simeon salute before departing. The President returned his attention to the rest of the Council.

"Our time of living is done, my comrades, and if we must give our lives to ensure the survival of our people, then that is what we will do. And without hesitation. Do I make myself clear?" he asked almost menacingly. No one dared object before he continued. "Have Commander Mugar summoned to the Council chamber immediately to be briefed on the situation. I want him to lead this operation. Besides, he is the only Commander in the Simeon army who actually wants to go back to Earth. He may be ruthless but he is also fearless and I need his kind of iron will to help our race with what lies before us. Their fate... will be in his hands."

DATE: MARCH 17, 1981

Deep below the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean in depths that could pulverize every bone in a human's body were the magnificent domes of Seatopia. Typically lighting the surrounding blackness with a dim yellow-orange glow from its artificial 'sun', the great kingdom was now as dark as the abyss, emitting only the faintest glow as if a lantern rested on the ocean floor. The vast city kept time as the surface world did and it was now 11:30 PM. The light that had given so many millions warmth and helped grow the food to keep them alive had been dimmed down. It was a peaceful night, considering the recent tragic events and most of the populace was now asleep.

An epidemic had broken out and rapidly spread throughout the land. A handful of cases popped up all of a sudden, each with the same bizarre symptoms: red-hot fever, the throat tightening so as to make breathing near impossible and violent thrashing as the intestines bloated, burst and failed. It was a painful death and worst of all, extremely contagious. The doctors had never seen anything like it before and tried every possible known remedy but nothing worked. Within six months, a third of Seatopia was contaminated and thus quarantined. It had been accepted that anyone with the Violent Fever, or 'VF' as it came to be called, was considered as good as dead and taken immediately to a separate section of the city to die. An inhumane act but there was simply no other option. Even sadder was the fact that new cases seemed to appear among otherwise healthy people. Food, water and the air itself had all been tested for possible sources of the vicious disease but if it was there, it was not detected. It was the greatest of mysteries and everyone had just about given up hope on finding a cure.

Although the first month had been a hectic, chaotic time, since they accepted defeat and started putting VF victims in quarantine, life seemed to settle down; not peacefully but quietly. Fear still gripped the nation and the psychological torment one went through personally was almost unbearable. It was unnerving that death was looking over your shoulder and you could be next because of the water you were drinking, the food you ate, the clothes you wore, the bed you had slept in or your neighbor whose hand you just shook.

Perhaps cruelest of all was that despite living through the greatest calamity to befall Seatopia since the sinking of Mu and the violent earthquakes caused by the land dwellers' nuclear testing in the past twenty years, Seatopians were forced to go about life's daily business as usual. Shops remained open, crops continued to be harvested and guards were still posted at the city's boundaries. There was nothing else they could do but wait to die.

At one outpost was a soldier who had just received this assignment a week ago. It wasn't the most exciting work but many more desirable occupations ceased to exist as businesses closed down due to the death of their owners. Because of the VF, it wasn't hard to work your way up the ranks. Presently, all of the day's paperwork had been completed and he was now sitting at a radio console, finding it harder and harder to stay awake. At times, he dozed off for a few seconds, only to leap back into full consciousness. After a few of these indiscretions, he got up and paced about, then went over to a cabinet and retrieved a bag of powder which he poured into a coral receptacle. Adding filtered water from a small stone fountain, he put the mixture on a burner.

"It's going to be a long night..." he muttered to himself groggily. The young Seatopian pulled on his toga and continued his pacing, waiting for his drink to heat. He wished he had brought a puzzle book or some reading material. Anything would be better than letting his mind wander or thinking about when he would inevitably die.

"We are all going to die soon enough. It is the end of our species," was the popular notion put froth by the news. It was too late now, of course, to find something of real interest. If the Section Chief caught him leaving his post, it would be hell to pay. Only a few more hours and he could go home to his warm bed. Unless that was contaminated, too.

Suddenly, a loud hiss crackled over the radio. The soldier stopped pacing and turned his head, trying to decide what to do next. It could be another guard accidentally pushing down on the transmit button. Or something serious was happening in the city. The sound died down and the radio suddenly came to life. He went over to it, staring straight into the speaker. What was going on?

"Greetings, citizens of Seatopia," said a calm male voice, so loud that the guard jumped back in surprise. "Do not be alarmed. We pose no threat to you. We are the Nebulans. We hail from the planet Space Hunter of Nebula M. We are a friendly race whose mission is to bring peace throughout the galaxy. We have traveled very far and wish to speak with your leader. Please acknowledge." The soldier looked quizzically at one of the screens. There was no indication of where the signal was coming from. He pressed a button and spoke into the microphone.

"This is sector 12. Who is sending out this message? This better not be a prank!"

"Sector 12, this is Sector 9. We are receiving the same message."

"This is Sector 29. We are hearing the message as well."

Is everyone hearing this? the young soldier thought to himself as the other posts reported in. All were picking up the exact same transmission. In fact, every open channel carried the alien voice which echoed throughout Seatopia.

"What's going on?" asked his partner from the doorway. He had come to investigate upon hearing the chaos over the radio.

"Call the Section Chief immediately," he replied. "It seems we have an unusual situation."

DATE: DECEMBER 19, 1994

Cold - one of nature's greatest weapons against its creations. For all of her disasters, plagues and destruction, few matched the unbearably tortuous ways of bitter cold. After all, the natural progression of life is one of warmth. Yet from the depths of space, the undisputed epitome of chill they came, their biology longing for freezing temperatures. The North Pole of the planet Earth had the ideal environment for the Mysterians.

The great ice shelves that extended as far as the eye could see were buzzing with activity of a magnitude that had never before been seen on this part of the globe. Construction was taking place as technology the planet had not borne witness to in millennia was conceiving the brainchild of a mad man. The main structure, a colossal circular configuration a mile and a half across, was nearly half completed with interior work already underway. Projects like these took time and to avoid detection by any means on Earth or satellites above, the Mysterians employed a new camouflage technology: a thin sheet of liquid metal on outer surfaces that would send back images of the barren landscape around them. It wasn't perfect but it worked.

There was still a need to hurry because as long as the interior of the dome remained uncovered, it could be seen. This was the main base of operations, housing far more mechanisms and systems than a simple outpost. The best minds of the Mysterian race had drawn out a detailed plan years ago which showed the paths of every circuit, wire and socket within the massive structure - a detailed procedure not normally taken to such lengths with a typical dome since the builders knew their work so well. Tedious would be too light a word to describe it in this case.

The Leader of Earth Operations, Darius Kugo, was giving a subordinate details on the re-configured MOGERA station. If he hadn't been there to oversee the project, the situation could have been disastrous. There had been a misconception of just how many of the mechanical giants were to be stored here. On top of that, the fools responsible for the site plans had not taken into account that the fleet would grow as time went on. Had it not been for Kugo, the area blasted out of the ice shelf would have been far too small, possibly rendering their entire work thus far useless. He sometimes wondered why he didn't just do the entire job himself.

The foreman ran off to the supervisor overseeing the station layout, the metal interior of which was nearly complete. Darius stood in the ice and snow at the edge of the construction site, wearing little more than his usual yellow command suit to keep off the cold. A calm day, he thought to himself before he received a call over his communicator and grunted at the thought of probably yet another annoyance.

"Kugo here," he spoke into the small hand-held device.

"Leader of Earth Operations, this is the transport ship of Lord Koban. He wishes to speak with you immediately." Kugo turned his back to the work in progress as if to make his conversation more private. A barely audible blip sounded as the frequency changed.

"Darius?" came a voice over the speaker. It was especially demanding today.

"Yes, my lord. What is it you wish?"

"I have not received your progress report. I would think that since I gave you a time frame in Earth hours and being on Earth, you would be able to follow it. Tell me what is happening down there. Now."

"My most humble apologies, my lord. We have been so busy I admit that I had forgotten to provide ongoing updates. Currently, we are laying the interior for the MOGERA station. Our blasting through the ice met the precise measurements provided. There has been a small delay on the eastern portion of the dome due to malfunctioning equipment. Also, the last group of transport ships arrived with machinery one and a half hours late. Besides this, progress is proceeding as planned."

"When will the MOGERA station be ready for the fleet?"

"In two weeks, sire."

"And the base itself. What is the projected time it will be operational?"

"In no more than an Earth month and a half."

"Excellent! I will have the unassembled MOGERAs sent to you in lots of 25 via transport ship as scheduled. Keep up with your reports, Darius, or you will find yourself building the dome instead of watching it being built."

"Yes, my lord. The mistake will not happen again." Darius looked out over the untouched ice shelf. Across that barren landscape lay humanity, completely oblivious to what was occurring here. He turned back to the work at hand.

Soon, he thought. We will be ready.

DATE: OCTOBER 28, 1996

For over a year Fumio Subo, as Fumitis the Nebulan presented himself to the beings of Earth, had been trying to achieve the trust of the Muuvians. He needed to persuade them to adopt a more peaceful view toward the surface dwellers and deactivate their microwave generators.

Over the past few years, he had been working his way up the ranks of human society, especially politically, by advising world leaders, designing more efficient technology for resource preservation and suggesting peace terms between rival countries. There seemed nothing he couldn't do. Fumio was an excellent businessman and everything he did benefited humanity in some way.

This did not go unnoticed and eventually, he had to reveal himself to certain parties for what he really was - an alien. The shock was great, of course, and most wanted to charge him with espionage but the personable Mister Subo assured them that his species was one of perfect peace, unlike so many others. It wasn't easy but it worked.

Now, after everything he had accomplished, the last thing he needed was for some arrogant mermaid kingdom to sink the planet into the sea. He must come to terms with them quickly or all could be lost. So far, he had obtained a few hours of communication via telescreen every couple of days. The Muuvians were wary of him ever since he first introduced himself. Had they known his whereabouts, it was not hard to assume they would have sent missiles forthwith. Fumio's spies advised him of their hostility months before so he knew what measures to take with the undersea kingdom. Convincing them that the Nebulans were peaceful required infinite patience.

For hundreds of millennia, Mu had made no contact outside its boundaries but in 1963, the former Queen of the empire had ordered a raid on the surface world. It would have succeeded if not for the intervention of a flying battleship called the GOTENGO. The only other connection they had with the world above them was a sunken World War II submarine from a land far above.

They had remained militaristic and on guard since their once-relaxed state of mind received a rude awakening with the secession of Seatopia. Fumio considered himself lucky to have gotten this far with them. Today, he would ask the question that had been on his mind since first actually seeing a Muuvian on his telescreen: whether or not he could have a personal face-to-face meeting with them. After sending his message of peace, he had slowly begun to learn the behavior of the race and he realized that he could not rush this aspect of his plan. Instead, he put on a smile and allowed the Muuvians to be as slow as they wanted about meeting him. This way, he would seem the benevolent, all-understanding individual that he professed to be.

The telescreen in front of him came alive with the image of a beautiful woman with red hair barely reaching the bottom of her neck. Around the top of her head and neck were many bands of pearls. The fiery gleam in her eyes seemed to be amplified by their contrast to her gray skin tone. Three weeks prior, Fumio had been allowed to speak to the Empress for the first time. Before then, it had just been military advisers. It was a great relief when he could relay his thoughts to the Empress without delay from her usual collection of idiotic subordinates.

"Good evening, your highness," Fumio greeted her in his gentlemanly manner.

"Good evening, Subo," she replied. "What do you wish to discuss?"

"Your highness, how long have we been in contact with one another?"

"It has been one year, four months and three days."

"Your highness, forgive my barrage of questions but they do all come to a central point. Do you trust us?"

"Trust is a hard thing to accept from another being, Subo. From your appearance, you seem no threat. However, this is from what my officials report to me, from the records of your species you gave us and from my first-hand accounts of you. You obviously trust us. Doubtless, you or your people have encountered such beings as my species in your travels; beings, in all probability, more cautious than we. Your blind trust in other species with no forward knowledge of them tells me you must have massive weaponry and forces under your control, in the event they were to rise up against you. Who is to say you will not destroy us once we give you our trust?" There was a pause but not because Fumio didn't know what to say. He knew the point she was getting to and had an answer before she asked the question. His silence was merely for effect.

"Your highness, I suppose you can never rightfully tell. You will have to put your faith in me when I tell you that the Nebulan people mean you no harm. We can only do so much before you will have to rely on your own judgment. I have shown you our true form, given you data on our technology, including our limited weapons. Without an in-person meeting, I can not give you much more to go on. I propose a meeting of our two species; a trade-off. If you allow us to venture to your undersea kingdom to discuss with you in person an alliance, then I will show you such sights and secrets of our species that in the end you will beg me to shut up."

"You are asking me to allow you into my kingdom?" Her eyes wandered reluctantly to the side for a moment. To be given such information would no doubt benefit her race and give them an advantage.

"Yes, your highness, I am. I do not see this plan going any further if we do not meet personally. In fact, and I hate to say this but if we cannot meet soon, I will have to give up on this alliance. You are correct, Empress. Before, we have run into far more protective species than yours; species so defensive that we have had to defend ourselves with violence. Those were horrible times and the mere memory of them pains me. Will you allow us to assemble together, face-to-face?" The Empress stared through space into his eyes. She did not wish to appear deep in thought although she was excellent at it. No other being could tell with certainty what she was thinking. Fumio gripped his chair slightly while awaiting her response and returning her stare.

"Five days from now, I will allow you and no more than 20 other Nebulans to enter Mu. I will have the highest level of security detailed around you. You will not venture anywhere that you are not told to go. If you do so, it will be considered an act of war and you will be killed. If you harm any of us, you will be killed. If I even sense you mean us harm, you will be killed. Do I make myself clear, Subo?"

"Yes, your highness."

"In five days, you will receive the exact time and coordinates. I will meet with you then."

"Thank you, your highness. Thank you so very much." The transmission ended and Fumio chuckled to himself. Mu was in the palm of his hand.

DATE: AUGUST 31, 1998

King Antonio stood before the huge stone monument in the most sacred room of the royal palace. It was a shrine of great importance to the Seatopians and especially to him as it had been built in memory of his beloved wife, Queen Valeeria.

"As always, our son is impatient and brash but you would be so proud of how he has grown and how strong and courageous he is becoming! I only pray that he will have the wisdom to temper his emotions when his time comes to rule in my place," the old king explained, addressing the monument as if his wife were standing there before him.

"So much has happened since you left us. And now, Fumio has proposed a great thing: re-unification with our lost brethren of Mu. You can only imagine how hard it is for our people to accept this but I feel that they can be persuaded. Fumio has done so many great deeds for us! I have no doubt that this is a good idea in the long run. But if there is to be a new world of unity for Seatopia and Mu, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it. I just wish you were here... I miss your advice and small talk, too. You would like Fumio. He is just the type of man you found funny." Antonio lowered his head in sadness.

"You are right. I do have much on my mind. I should rest but I must keep going, at least for now. Our people need me to guide them through this change. It will open up so many doors. I just hope we do not trip stepping through them."

He had always done this, from the first day that the monolith was erected. In Seatopia, there were no burials, tombs or cemeteries. Those who passed on were cremated similar to the rituals of the ancient Vikings or Sumerians. Although his wife was not present in any way, Antonio always came here to be closer to his dearly departed. He would take a break from his duties as Seatopia's ruler and frequently visit with her. As he stood there now, so many bitter memories came rushing back to him. It was a time in his life that he would never forget as long as he lived.

It had been seventeen years ago that a mysterious plague suddenly befell Seatopia. There was no way for the physicians and scientists to combat the disease. All who had it, for whatever length of time, died. Antonio watched in despair as his people began to perish one by one and was helpless to stop it. This was when he met Fumio Subo for the first time. He made radio contact with Seatopia and requested to speak with the king and told him that he could cure his people of this strange disease. Antonio was wary of trusting anyone from the surface world or outsiders of any kind but he was desperate to save his people who were surely doomed. Reluctantly, he agreed to allow Fumio and his associates passage into their long-hidden kingdom to administer their miracle vaccine.

It had been a wise decision and the salvation of Seatopia and its civilization. But there were many who died, the cure arriving too late to save them. Among these unfortunates was Antonio's wife. Her loss shook Seatopia to its very core and was traumatic beyond words for the King and Prince Hector who was about five at the time. But they persevered and a great friendship developed between Antonio and Fumio Subo. His scientific and technical skills were superior to Seatopia's yet adaptable so it wasn't long before he and his associates began working together with the underwater kingdom on many projects of benefit to them while Fumio pursued his Earth-side enterprises.

Realizing that he had lost track of time while reminiscing, the old king said his good-byes and sadly left the room.

DATE: JULY 3, 2000

"Hold the line! Hold the line!" Security Chief Doras bellowed to his squad as an angry swarm of Simeons rushed toward them. The estimated time of Setei's destruction was only a few short weeks away. The clouds were already disappearing and the sky was a bright yellow-white as they were pulled ever closer to the gargantuan black disc that engulfed much of the skyline. The massive transport ship that would double as a base of operations on Earth was filled to capacity. Once all essential personnel and equipment had been loaded, a lottery was held to determine which Simeons amongst the general population would get passage as well. The drawings were completed, much to the dismay of many not selected and it was now launch day.

"Keep them back! Protect the ship by any means necessary, even if you have to open fire on them!" Doras commanded as he and the rest of the security detail raised their weapons. Gas grenades had already been used but had not deterred the mob. Another Simeon in riot gear shouted into a megaphone-like device, warning the masses to stay back but they started to break down the barricades around the ship.

"Open fire!" Doras ordered. Blaster bolts sizzled into the out-of-control crowd as they rushed into a minefield that had been laid for just such a possibility. Horrendous explosions sent mutilated and dismembered bodies flying in all directions but still they kept coming. "May the gods forgive us..." the Chief muttered as he and his soldiers started using weapons that mirrored the Earth's Gatling gun. Entire ranks of apes were mowed down and cut in half.

"I see that circumstances have not changed," Mugar observed, watching the deteriorating situation on the launch pad from aboard the ship.

"Sir, there is still a little more room for-"

"Ignite the booster engines," Mugar cut off the lieutenant. The giant transport's rockets soon roared to life as Doras and his squad rushed toward the ramp with desperate and hysterical apes chasing after them. As they reached it, someone in the mob caught up and tripped Doras. His captain turned around and grabbed his wrist as the ship began to lift off. Over a dozen Simeons were clinging to Doras and the boarding ramp as other officers opened fire on them.

"Don't worry, sir. I've got you!" the unusually large ape shouted as he started to pull him up.

BLAM! A blaster bolt completely obliterated Doras' head, spraying green blood all over the soldier trying to hoist him aboard and knocking him back as the now headless body and the Simeons who had been clinging to him fell back to the fiery launch pad below. The mortified officer spun around to see Mugar standing in the doorway, holding a blaster in his hand. The ship's door began to close as the last of the squad quickly rushed inside.

"Who was Doras' second-in-command?" Mugar called out as they got underway.

"Me, sir," the Simeon who had tried to help him said woefully, still covered in his blood.

"What is your name?"

"Argon, sir. Captain Argon," the shaken ape replied, still in a state of shock.

"Congratulations. You have just been promoted. You are now the new Chief of Security and my second-in-command. Is that understood?" Argon looked at him in disbelief at the callousness of his actions. He had just killed his right-hand ape and it meant absolutely nothing. "I said, is that understood?" Mugar hissed.

"Ye-yes sir," Argon stuttered. Mugar simply turned and walked away.

DATE: SEPTEMBER 13, 2000

Inside the grand assembly hall of the Nebulan ship, blue lights flashed to life as thousands of cockroaches filed into their seats along the walls. The doors slid open and a handful of Chairmen entered and stationed themselves before the Fifteen. Silence fell over the assembly before the session commenced.

"We are gathered here to discuss further details of Fumitis' plan of peace. Before we hear from the Chairman, the Revered would like to congratulate you, Fumitis, on a job well done. Your plans, thus far, have fallen into place just as you said they would. We are eager, therefore, to hear what you propose next."

"Thank you, your Excellencies. I shall begin with a report of my progress over the past five years. After forming an alliance with the Mu Empire, I secretly introduced them to the surface world leaders in hopes of ensuing peace talks. Things went remarkably well, though nothing is final yet. A few more years may be required. However, I was able to reunify Mu and Seatopia after several millennia. Considering the great wall of apathy and uncertainty that seems to separate them, I personally feel they are making progress. Once they feel more secure with one another, I will suggest a reunification with the surface world. This will doubtless be a difficult task but I believe I can convince them of its benefits within a few years. I will suggest the same proposal to the humans when I think they are ready."

"Fumitis, the way you speak, one would be inclined to believe you really intend to unify the planet in perfect peace."

"Indeed I am, your Excellency," he said with the smirk of a cockroach and a twinkle in his eye. The Fifteen nodded in approval of his diabolical plan. "Now if I may, your Excellencies, I must add another factor I have discovered. In order for the Earth to be left in a safe, habitable condition, we can not allow any nuclear devices to be used by any race. Considering that many of the Earth creatures are potentially fanatical at the first hint of domination, I do not know for certain how quickly they might bring such weapons into play. Therefore, I cannot accurately predict how much of our forces will be needed when we start destroying them. Also, while studying the Earth records, I came across a detailed account of an alien invasion in the Earth year 1957 by a race calling themselves 'Mysterians'. Further searching of the Nebulan files shows that two colonies were started in this solar system: one on Earth and the other on the planet Mysteroid."

"But where is this planet now?" asked another of the Revered.

"We are on it. Actually, surrounded by it. This entire asteroid field was once Mysteroid. For reasons unknown, the planet was destroyed, possibly by a meteorite. I initially expected all of its inhabitants to be dead but this 1957 invasion has far too many elements to be a mere coincidental naming of two alien races. Reports indicate that Mysterian craft were sighted near Mars before the invasion occurred. Orbiting probes I had sent out confirm a colony of creatures there and apparently doing well. The Earth reports also tell of the Mysterians claiming that 80% of their civilization is stricken with radiation poisoning. Their purpose in conquering the Earth was to obtain clean women to reproduce with to increase their population.

"No doubt their species is still in such a position, if not worse. It is highly likely that they will prepare another Earth invasion sooner or later for the same reasons. In fact, I have recently enlisted spies to enter the Mysterian Central City in the guise of these people. We should know their plans very soon.

"In addition, less than a decade after the Mysterians appeared, another race of beings hailing from a dark planet around Jupiter also attempted an invasion. They too were defeated and an embassy was established on one of Jupiter's moons. The two races meet there every several years to reaffirm their relations and give updates about their species. If these aliens are as friendly to the people of Earth as they make themselves out to be, we may face the potential of them attacking us in mankind's defense.

"The reason I bring them up is to further justify the point I will now lay before you: we cannot risk our forces against all of these possible armies. We either take the Earth or our species dies. We must have an ally."

"With whom do you suggest we make an alliance with, Chairman Fumitis?"

"I have the perfect candidate, Excellency. They have tried to take over the Earth less than a year ago using the method of kaiju control. Needless to say, they failed. Most of the information I have about them I found in Earth files and from what we observed. They call themselves Kilaaks. They are quite literally creatures made of living metal. From where they originate, I cannot tell, though not from the planet Kilaak as they claim.

"What I do know is that they are very susceptible to low temperatures. If caught in such conditions, they go from their hominid form to a metallic, worm-like state. This suggests that they came from a very hot environment like that of their current home. If the Kilaaks ever turned on us, we could use this against them.

"Their technology is also impressive. I have seen schematics of their weaponry and I must say that for silicon-based creatures to have obtained such a defense is shocking. Their population is of considerable size, however, so if the plan that they proposed to me goes through without failure, they should not have to fight very much."

"You have talked with them?" roared another Chairman amongst a flurry of heated objections. "You could have killed us all!"

"Chairman Fumitis, my feelings mirror your comrade's," spoke one of the Revered. "We allowed you the courtesy of withholding information from us but you cannot simply discuss terms with another alien race when our civilization hangs in the balance."

"He is right, Chairman. If you do not come up with a reasonable answer, there may be severe consequences for you." Fumitis' stance did not change nor his proud demeanor falter as he stared straight up to where the Revered sat. He had expected this and knew how they viewed him. If he worded it right, the Revered would be on his side once again.

"My Excellencies. Had I thought for a moment that my discussions with the Kilaaks were to be in any way harmful to our species, I would never have ventured to do so. My goal, my life, my very essence is for the completion of this project. I will not demur until every one of our people is safely living on Earth! I realize my apologies are growing meaningless but believe me when I say how sorry I am for not informing you of this sooner. The only thing that stood in my way was the threat of my enemies in this hall who wish to thwart everything I have worked for to better the lives of our people. If one of them had heard of my discussions with the Kilaaks, they would fabricate lies and I would appear truly a villain in your eyes, my ideas never reaching this hall."

"Enough, Fumitis!" declared another Revered. "For this offense we will allow you leniency. But in the future, if you have a project that you believe may be threatened, come to this Council. What have we to gain by telling your plans to others?"

"Your wisdom exceeds the limits of the universe itself!" Fumitis cried. "My gratefulness cannot be expressed in words."

"Continue with your proposition," a Revered said solemnly.

"Yes, Excellency. The Kilaaks have no idea of our location. I used Earth satellites and the Earth moon to bounce our radio signals, even using Earth frequencies to carry our messages in a random manner where it is impossible to tell their source. It would take years for the Kilaaks to successfully unweave this tangled web to find their true source.

"What makes this alliance with the Kilaaks a superb one is that the Earth has no knowledge that they still exist. The humans believe every Kilaak died in their war with mankind. I doubt they will suspect them until it is too late because of this plan they propose. They will stay behind the scenes until we require their assistance.

"Before you go to deliberate my ideas, Excellencies, I would like to address a question which I am sure is going through many minds: What do the Kilaaks get for helping us take over the Earth? The answer is quite simple: a portion of the planet to live on. This would not be a problem for they only require warm spots such as volcanos and geothermal vents under the ocean; places where we could not possibly live.

"This is the plan I submit to you, my Excellencies. I have thought through every variable and possible mishap and am behind the project completely." After briefly consulting with each other, one of the Revered stood up, leaning down in Fumitis' direction. The leaders had a sort of collective thinking, their ideas and opinions rarely deviating from their comrades'.

"Chairman Fumitis, we agree with your proposal on the conquest of Earth. We grant you full powers for the operation. You will be given total control of our military, technological and personnel resources. We will hold discussions on the finer details of the operation later. We also wish to speak with the Kilaaks. The fate of our civilization rests with you, Fumitis. Do not fail us."

"I will not, your Excellencies. In a few year's time, the Earth will be ours."

DATE: OCTOBER 30, 2000

The molten landscape pulsed and heaved as if it were a living organism, glowing red-hot as thousands of volcanos continuously erupted, spewing new land onto the planet's surface. The existing crust was pushed down toward the planet's core, heated to the melting point and sent back up in an endless process of recycled rock. The entire planet fairly seethed as it constantly changed. No living organism in its right mind would even think of living here but to call its residents such was to fool oneself.

A meteor burned across the sky and struck the tortured landscape somewhere over the horizon, creating a Hiroshima-sized explosion that lit up the sky and sent a shock wave out in every direction. It was a relatively small tremblor but it still caused Karkaru to sway slightly. When it had passed and the light from the explosion died, the Kilaak king was motionless once more.

His cold stare seemed to steal the heat from the landscape before him. As the last wisps of light from the impact were swallowed by the hellish darkness that hung over the planet, what he was staring at came back into focus. A massive plateau half a kilometer away was almost completely covered with the glowing orange and red disc-like forms of Kilaak warships and fighter craft.

Tuket, second in command and Karkaru's long-time friend and mentor, stood to his right. His stare, however, seemed to not be focused entirely on the Kilaak fleet. It was as if he were looking straight through it and into the very planet itself. General Kulkan, the King's chief military advisor and Commander of the fleet, stood at his left. Both lesser Kilaaks wore glistening silver armor, giving them the appearance of twisted knights of old. Karkaru's golden chain mail flowed about him, seeming to enhance the burning light from the lava fields far below them.

"Our fleet is ready, sir," Kulkan stated, trying to ease the tension between the three who were only standing two or three feet apart but seemed to be miles away in spirit. "All of the transport vessels have been loaded to the limit with soldiers, weapons and cargo." Kulkan waited for a response but one never came. Uncomfortable, he looked over at Tuket who had the same grave expression on his face, as if he hadn't even heard him speak. Finally, Karkaru responded, barely audible over the sounds of the erupting volcanos and machinery before them.

"You are inexperienced, my friend." His somber tone did nothing to help Kulkan's uneasiness. "The only reason I chose you was because of how well you did in the Xian War." Karkaru turned to face him. "If it were not for you, we may have never captured King Ghidorah." Karkaru turned back to the plateau, now filled with marching Kilaak soldiers approaching the perfectly-arrayed spacecraft.

"And all of this wouldn't be necessary..." His voice trailed off as if he blamed Kulkan for what had happened to him. When he spoke again, it was in the monotone he used to address the Kilaak public.

"We are devoting almost all of our military might to this new war. The Nebulans will help us as long as we maintain this alliance with them. They will prove helpful if anyone tries to compete with us for dominance of the Earth." Karkaru began to smile, the glow of the magma giving it an almost satanic quality. His eyes glowed even brighter and hotter than the molten sea that extended far past the plateau and seemingly into eternity.

"And once the humans have been brought to their knees, so too will the Nebulans fall. Then, the Xians, the Mysterians and any other incompetent biological filth that attempts to put their flag on our soil."

Karkaru touched a holo-panel in front of him, bringing up an image of the third planet from the sun. "We will turn it into a second Venus. Maybe then these disgusting animals will stop flocking to this solar system like moths to a flame."

Out of the corner of his eye, Kulkan saw Tuket clench his fists and tighten his jaw as a look of pain and hatred flashed across his face but it was quickly gone. Kulkan thought about asking him what the matter was but knew better.

Karkaru had lost his wife on Earth during the first invasion attempt. Tuket hadn't lost anyone but after the Xian War and the capture of the great King Ghidorah, he would often mutter something about his father. Kulkan couldn't remember fighting alongside a Kilaak who would have surely been much older than even Tuket but then again, he often tried not to remember that war.

Suddenly, a horn blared out over the plateau and the last Kilaak soldier boarded his assigned transport ship. Three large and specially outfitted vessels landed behind the three Kilaak leaders. With a final glance at one another, they entered their individual command ships which lifted into the dark, dreary sky. A blast of air washed over the settlements half-buried in the volcanos themselves as the rest of the fleet rose into the low-hanging black clouds behind them.

From the overhanging walkway of a building, isolated spectators and the few soldiers and pilots who remained behind departed, talking quietly amongst themselves. The first invasion had brought massive crowds and a big celebration. This mission brought no cause to celebrate in the least.

An unspoken anxiety had spread throughout the Kilaak population. Nobody could shake the feeling that many of the ships that had disappeared into the clouds would not be coming back.

DATE: DECEMBER 15, 2000

Unbeknownst to the denizens of Earth, a huge craft was slowly descending toward Hokkaido as the Simeon mothership prepared for touchdown. For months, it had remained hidden on the dark side of the Moon while sending down disguised Simeons in stealth cruisers to begin terraforming the area needed to contain the ship and hide it underground. They had all the proper documents and identification to insure no suspicion of their activities or true identities as they worked.

The ship itself was truly massive in size. Its focal point was an enormous space titanium cylinder that centrally ran the length of the craft. It spun at a steady rate to provide an artificial gravity and housed everything from supplies to fuel, an armory, food and the apes themselves in a miniature city.

From top to bottom, long steel arms which also served as corridors stretched out from the cylinder to various complexes built into the hull of the ship, a giant titanium open-ended sphere that surrounded the cylinder. It was layered in metal plates like shingles which could be opened if needed. The layout inside was thick and boxy, areas varying in size and shape to serve as hanging docks for the air and space fleet, laboratories, supply depots and dozens of command posts and cannon ports, including the bridge. One especially large complex against the hull contained Mechagodzilla.

Before the ship emerged from its hiding place in space, the Simeons prepared for its arrival on Earth. All orbiting satellites in the area were hacked and temporarily taken offline. The ship also engaged a special form of light-bending energy shield that made it seem invisible to the naked eye and absorbed practically all forms of radar. As it slowly descended into Earth's atmosphere, all non-essential power systems were reduced to near zero, resulting in no significant energy emissions to speak of. After the ship came to rest inside the subterranean enclosure, the work crews began the process of concealing its location and blending it into the surrounding area.

At long last, the Simeons had returned to Earth to claim it as their own. Despite two previous failed invasion attempts, it was generally hoped that, as the old human saying went, the third time would be the charm. It was going to have to be because they no longer had a homeworld to retreat to if they were defeated again. This time, they were going for broke and would either succeed or die trying.

"Commander... " one of his lieutenants addressed him in the main control room of the ship, giving the forearm salute as he walked up. Mugar halfheartedly looked over his shoulder. He wore a metallic mask resembling the visage of an ape which completely hid his features. Mugar actually had none since his face had been blown off in 1975 when his and several other Simeon ships were trying to flee after their second Earth invasion attempt failed.

While Godzilla was battling Titanosaurus, the Monster King spotted them flying overhead and fired his beam. All of the craft were obliterated, with the exception of Mugar's which was blown in half. As the flaming wreckage came down, he was thrown clear. When Mugar hit the ground, several of his vertebrae were shattered, completely paralyzing him. He had also broken several bones and lost his right arm. Only through the miracle of Simeon medical technology was his spine repaired, his arm re-attached and his other injuries healed. He chose to keep the scars, including the loss of his face, as a reminder of the events of that day and his hatred for Godzilla and humanity. The decades since had only intensified it. To hide his disfigurement, Mugar wore the full uniform of his office with all the various emblems, insignia and trappings of his rank as Supreme Commander.

"Yes?" he finally replied.

"Docking completed, sir. All systems reading normal."

"Excellent," Mugar responded before turning to an ensign. "Contact Chief Engineer Toru immediately and inform him to have a detail prepared as soon as possible to recover the body of Titanosaurus and begin the enhancements without delay. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"There are to be no mistakes or grave consequences will swiftly result. Understood?" Mugar threatened coldly, shifting his gaze back to the lieutenant.

"Sir, yes sir!" he replied, snapping to attention and saluting again before departing.

DATE: NOVEMBER 3, 2004

A man struggled to his feet after falling from the shockwave. He heard a noise increasing in volume, as if something powerful was charging up. Looking up at the building directly in front of him, he saw the windows begin to shine as bright as the sun, casting permanent shadows instantly against the structures behind him. A second after the burst of blinding light, the structure caught fire and exploded, blowing the entire city block into oblivion as everything in sight erupted in a wall of flame.

Emerging from behind the cascade of fire was the towering black mass of an unforgiving god, a creature that harnessed the ultimate power of the atom that would not allow mankind to ever forget its discovery. With a deep spine-chilling roar from another world, the leviathan released a second blast of nuclear energy from its mouth to destroy the remains of the city. People were instantly incinerated, cars blown into the air and buildings exploded before all was reduced to ash.

Tanks, missile launchers and maser cannons lay overturned and on fire; battle cruisers just off shore billowed smoke, all reminders of a futile attempt to vanquish the monster. The lumbering beast crushed and destroyed all in his path; trains, automobiles and people crumbling beneath his mighty feet.

His tail alone leveled office buildings and with his hands and arms, he brought down anything tall enough to reach. There was no escape, no refuge, no savior. The screaming crowds of unfortunate humans left in the city ran in every direction that was not on fire. The scene itself could drive one to the brink of insanity. Several families huddled together, knowing that it was impossible to save themselves and in their last few teary moments with each other, they prayed as the flames around them closed in. The monster's thunderous roar would be the last thing they heard as it echoed throughout the city, reminding all of why this was happening and that there was no hope of survival.

The blazing remains of Tokyo illuminated the skyline like glowing hot coals, a blood-red shadow from the towering fires covering the metropolis as black smoke engulfed it in an unbreathable cloud of heat, ash and dust.

The horrific scene was shown in its entirety on the large flat screen monitors in the control room of the United Nations Godzilla Countermeasures Center. All of Japan's government and military officials stood or sat in the silent room with mouths agape in horror and disbelief. None of them could believe what they were seeing and dared not guess the death toll. One official was standing, tightly gripping the railing in front of him. He spoke slowly and in awe what sub-consciously was on everyone's mind.

"What have we done to deserve this?" On the wall beside him hung a framed picture: a photograph of the hydrogen bomb test conducted in 1954. Over the speakers, those present heard the eerie call of the Monster King, as if to challenge them and in the background, what were the cries of the dying.

DATE: DECEMBER 2, 2004

It was a momentous day when General Takaki Aso of G-FORCE addressed the Japanese Self-Defense Council on a subject he (and every citizen of Japan) had fretted over way too long. Despite his agency's lack of success in protecting the country from giant monster attacks, Parliament could not help but see fit to fund a plan that would finally put an end to Godzilla's devastating rampages.

Maybe it was the failure of the military to deal with the kaiju effectively that made it possible for Fumio Subo to be able to sell the Commander on constructing yet another new super weapon. The mathematical genius had presented a most convincing and technologically sound proposal, utilizing laser technology that was far beyond what even the most progressive civilian or government developers had been able to come up with. Every engineer who reviewed the plans could only shake his head in amazement at the power this device could generate. But the main selling point was that it would stop Godzilla, the King of the Monsters, once and for all.

Kaijuologists had determined that Godzilla simply saw Tokyo (and pretty much Japan as a whole) as his 'territory', instinctively defending it against other monsters infringing on his domain. It was also believed that he did not take kindly to the changes humanity had imposed on it over the years, with their pavement and rampant 'development' of nearly every habitable square meter of the country. Japan's citizens had also protested the direction 'progress' had taken, with everything from nuclear power plants (which were a particular target of Godzilla) to crass commercialism and decline of their national heritage.

Wars waged by other 'super powers' had led to demonstrations against even G-FORCE maintaining destructive weapons that could fall into the hands of radical terrorists and be used against the populace. With that in mind, it was decided that the project's true nature should not be revealed to the general public.

An amusement park with the innocuous name of 'The Children's Land' soon began to take shape within sight of Tokyo Harbor. It would be a celebration of two things that all children (and many adults) love: monsters and peace. In addition to thrill rides, food courts, games and the usual attractions, there would be a huge tower at the harbor side of the park, built in the shape of a life-size replica of Godzilla. By the time it was ready to open, the interior would house a museum dedicated to every sort of monster from all over the world. A multi-billion yen theme park in this otherwise industrial area would be a welcome addition to the prefecture which hoped to attract tourist trade from Shinjuku, the Ginza and other popular areas.

The Godzilla Tower would also house a powerful laser weapon. A special signal would be generated to lure Godzilla within range and when he arrived, he would be rendered harmless. As there was no known way to actually destroy the creature due to his regenerative abilities, it was decided that his body would be blasted into space aboard a giant rocket ship. For this massive undertaking, Fumio presented necessary concept drawings and blueprints.

Constructing the huge craft at The Children's Land site was deemed unfeasible as so many area residents had a great fascination with space travel and its various elements. Instead, Fumio assured the Council that his company would take care of this aspect at a secret location away from curious eyes. As well, they could not risk possible damage to the vessel when Godzilla was lured to the area.

DATE: NOVEMBER 4, 2006

"My lord, a transmission is coming through from an unknown source. Would you like to hear it, sir?"

"Fine." King Koban was pacing the control room. He had just completed a routine check of their situation and was now bored. The blue-clad Mysterian punched in codes on his console.

"Transmissions to speakers." Static coursed from them but quickly gave way to a cold, clear voice.

"King Koban of the Mysterians, this is the Controller of Planet X." A few aliens in blue jumped from their seats at this surprising revelation while others remained at their posts but were just as shocked. This was the first time in decades that they had heard from the Xians and tried to keep it that way with their lifelong enemies. Koban was no longer bored and stepped up to the communications console to reply.

"This is King Koban."

"This is a peaceful call. We only wish to inform you that our intelligence has noted aliens among you, disguised as Mysterians. They are called Nebulans and seek information regarding your next invasion." Koban stood hunched over the microphone for a moment, considering what was just said.

"Is that so?" he finally responded. "Give me one good reason why I should believe you."

"We have a plan to sabotage their efforts against you if you are willing to co-operate."

"And why would you want to help us?"

"Because we know you are seeking the severed leg of the monster Reptilicus for its rejuvenating power to use as a genetic foundation for a cure to your people's illness. We too suffer in a similar way, as you well know, and want to benefit from such a project also."

"You really think I would just hand over the cure to you? You are surely mistaken." Koban stood and was about to order the channel closed when the voice spoke again.

"We also know that you are unable to retrieve it from the ocean floor. We can, and are willing to do so. Our scientists are better equipped for the task and can produce the miracle drug much sooner than your technicians." Koban thought about this for a moment. It was beyond him that the conversation had even gotten this far. He hated Xians like all Mysterians, if not moreso. And the fact that this swine just came out of the blue with what was essentially a peace offering was intolerable. If he could trace the signal, he would order a laser fired at its source.

Unconsciously, he grabbed his right arm. He wanted that leg more than anything and this no doubt affected his decision-making. "I see. We will talk together."

"You are certainly a wise one, King Koban. A single ship of ours will land at the outskirts of your Central City on Mars at noon tomorrow before the dust storm. Be ready."

"You know the whereabouts of Central City?" asked Koban in anger but moreso in shock.

"If we did not know of Central City then how could we have sent you this message?" the Controller replied with what Koban swore was a slight chuckle.

"Of course," he quickly agreed while trying to recover his composure.

"Tomorrow at noon. Be ready."

"I will." Reaching over the other Mysterian, Koban switched off the communication himself. He stood there for a moment, breathing heavily but failed to notice that many of his men were rather nervous, both from what had just taken place and with anticipation of what this radical king might do next. His temper was well known.

"Damn!" And with that, he left the room.

DATE: FEBRUARY 17, 2007

The Xians and Mysterians had been carrying on peaceful talks over the past few months and the plan the Xians purposed had come to full light. It was true that the Mysterians had no efficient way of raising the Reptilicus leg from the North Sea so it was agreed that an old-style Xian saucer would fly to Earth and over the exact location of the limb. Using its magnetic-like rays, the leg could be enclosed in an energy bubble and raised to the surface. From there, the ship would tow it through the air to the North Pole base to be placed in a water-filled container. Mysterian scientists would then go to work at cracking its genetic code. Not wanting any Xians to set foot in his base, Koban demanded that only his technicians be allowed to work on the specimen but he was willing to share the results of their labors with the Controller who would then offer suggestions to apply their findings.

What made the trade even more appealing was that the Xians were giving the Mysterians large quantities of gold to further build up their fleet. It also saved their economy. This was pocket change to the mysterious visor-wearing mutants as Planet X was loaded with the mineral. What they lacked was water which was held far more precious than the yellow rocks. It came as no surprise that they requested that commodity in return. This the Mysterians could provide as much of Mars' poles were composed of ice.

All was going smoothly but Koban still could not understand why Sar'rious insisted on letting those bloody Nebulan spies continue to infiltrate his colony. Why was he not allowed to find and exterminate them like bugs? To his relief, they were meeting privately in his throne room of an office yet again to finally answer these questions.

Koban sat in his usual armchair that passed as his 'throne' during such personal gatherings. Sar'rious sat very straight in a smaller chair on the opposite side of the desk, his fingers together in front of him with what passed for a smile on his face, perhaps his attempt to lighten his otherwise very cool and computing demeanor.

He wore black leather gloves and a narrow black visor that hid his eyes. A multi-layered uniform that appeared to be some kind of stretchy fabric made up most of his attire. Gray-blue cloth, which Koban wasn't able to tell if it wrapped about his torso or was a tunic fanned out into a skirt from his waist. A blue jacket covered it from the belt up and was wrapped tightly around his arms with a series of black rings stacked atop one another from the collar from which his head poked out. It was also dotted with black armor pads to form a mini-breastplate and shoulder guards. His pants resembled the jacket, hugging his legs tightly with guard pads down to his long, shining leather boots. Koban was dressed in his usual white silk uniform with red helmet and linen cape. After cursing to himself about Xians being such snazzy dressers, he brought his focus back to the matter at hand.

"You said that you had a plan for the Nebulans..."

"Indeed. Our spy network indicates that they have allied themselves with the Kilaaks."

"Is there anything your spies do not know?" Koban asked with a smirk.

"No," Sar'rious replied straight-faced. "They are intending to resurrect Monster Zero but do not know how. What I propose is that you hold a special meeting with your generals, one that a Nebulan spy is certain to eavesdrop on. You are to mention, among other things, that you have completed creating a 'virus', a chemical compound based on the creature's genetic coding that when injected will rejuvenate him. You are to name the location where the capsules are stored in your laboratories. We will provide you with the virus. That night, or the one after, we predict that the spy will attempt to steal the compound."

"And then we catch him in the act!"

"No. We are not going to disappoint the Nebulans. Let them in, steal the 'virus' and make their getaway. Within the virus are micro-mites that can destroy any mental control held over the beast. Once injected, we can activate the signal at any time, severing Monster Zero from his controllers and sending him on a mad rampage against them." At first, Koban's eyes were wide and his mouth gaped behind his helmet and large visor but his eyes quickly narrowed and his astonishment became a grin.

"That is ingenious! And when will you have this 'virus' ready for us?"

"It is ready for use now. I will have it brought to your scientists within the hour."

That soon? Koban thought to himself for a moment. "You knew I would agree to this, didn't you?" The Controller merely smiled.

DATE: JUNE 5, 2010

It was midnight in the forest that surrounded Mount Fuji when the ground began to shake slightly. Young Akeno lifted his head and looked about but saw nothing. The banter of the insects and night birds soon started up again. He shrugged and resumed poking at a dead squirrel he had found. Akeno had snuck out of his home nearby when he thought he heard a baby crying.

Maybe it was the squirrel? No, if it were a squirrel, I wouldn't have heard it because it was too far away from the house Suddenly, a bird fell from the tree next to him and plopped to the ground, dead. Akeno stood up, startled. Then another fell, and another. The boy heard an immense shriek and the forest around him erupted into chaos. All manner of shapes and forms fell from the trees; birds and other forest animals, all dead! A swarm of crickets and cicadas dropped from the branches as insects flew all over the place before dropping dead in mid-air.

The boy screamed and ran from the horror of it all. A deer stumbled and fell in front of him. Akeno tripped over it and saw its cold, lifeless eyes that still held a look of terror. He picked himself up and began running until he felt an intense pain in his leg. He looked down but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it so he limped on but fell again, only as if he had been pushed down.

Frightened, Akeno rolled onto his back and looked up at the sky. A fiery shape loomed over the forest like some kind of mythological demon from the stories his grandfather told him. He screamed as a beam of light shot outward, crashing down somewhere near the base of the mountain. Suddenly, whatever it was disappeared into the sky. Unable to move his legs and walk, Akeno strained to see where it went.

An eerie glow emanated from the area he had run from, so intense that he had to look away. The brilliant light finally faded and there was absolute silence. All of the animals in the forest had stopped their normal nightly calling and moving about. They were all dead. The ground shook violently and burst open as a fireball rose slowly into the sky, igniting surrounding trees with the most horrifying sound the little child had ever heard. Akeno couldn't even scream because of shock as he watched the fireball fade away, leaving tails of fire to flow across an enormous monstrosity left in its place.

The strange energy filled in its details, as if creating the thing before being blown away by the wind. As the air cleared, the dark shape became more recognizable. Hovering before Akeno was the most feared creature in the entire universe that had been killed here nearly a decade ago but there he stood in all his golden glory, raised from the grave like the phoenix of old.

King Ghidorah - the Destroyer of Worlds, the King of Terror. The creature let out a mighty shrieking laugh and began to glow. The boy noticed that he had changed from what he had seen in pictures since his apparent death. The hair atop his three heads had burned away but was replaced by a crown of horns. The ones on the center head curled outward in two directions near their tips like antlers. His body mass and height also seemed to have increased considerably. Ghidorah looked even more horrifying than before, having been resurrected in a greater form: Grand King Ghidorah!

The monster gave another cry of challenge to the world before blasting the landscape with his gravity beams. Akeno screamed in fear as he was picked up and thrown through the air, never to be seen again.

"Excellent!" King Karkaru declared, sitting in his swivel chair on the bridge of the FLAMING FURY. He smiled and felt energy in his soul that he hadn't experienced in quite a while. After nearly a year's work, he had brought King Ghidorah back to life, and more powerful than ever. Nothing could stop the Kilaaks now. Nothing! He gave the order to encase the ship in flames once again and embraced the raw heat.

King Ghidorah looked up at the space ship above him and remembered it well. It was the same type of saucer that had brought him to this planet to be slaughtered at the claws of the Earth monsters. It also resembled the ships of all the other alien races that had persisted in using him as nothing more than a puppet.

He opened his center mouth to blast the thing but felt an urgent calling in his head, telling him to follow the ship, to obey its pilots once more. Ghidorah snorted and closed his mouth. Suddenly, his thoughts disappeared as his individualism gave way to blind control. For now, he had no choice but to allow these foolish creatures to manipulate him. But deep in his soul, buried in his unconscious, he knew - he promised to himself - that he would wipe these petty beasts from the galaxy, along with all the other sentient lifeforms that would die under his wings. Grand King Ghidorah would have smiled if he could as he lifted into the air and reluctantly followed the ship toward Tokyo.


	2. A King Dethroned

A KING DETHRONED

After many years, the necessary preparations were complete. The Children's Land would not be ready for public use, of course, until after Godzilla had been disposed of and the powerful laser weapon located in the Godzilla Tower decommissioned. At G-FORCE's most secure facility, it would be stored to prevent its falling into the hands of militants or terrorists who might wish to use it for dubious purposes. Should another Godzilla appear, it could always be quickly returned to service.

At dawn on the first full day since the city had been evacuated due to a "G-Alert", Fumio Subo, General Takaki Aso, members of the Japanese Parliament's Defense Council and their respective assistants were the only people in Tokyo to witness the unveiling of their ultimate achievement. Amongst the illustrious heads of state, Doctor Kenji Kamaiya seemed an oddity in the group. Although one of Japan's most highly regarded and respected kaijuologists, he held no political or military authority. His presence was routine procedure since the United Nations had passed a law in 1963 that required a professional kaijuologist to be on hand during any formal discussion of or interaction with a kaiju. He was best equipped to discern whether the laser could kill the beast, make the appropriate arrangements for its body to be removed and take any needed samples or perform tests that might be required. If successful, this would be a tremendous achievement in the development of anti-kaiju weaponry, one that demanded a professional in the field as an observer.

Its inauguration was a secret kept from the general public but a quiet and inconspicuous traditional ceremony had been conducted. The mastermind behind the ambitious plan stood in front of the crowd beside the Prime Minister who then offered a few words.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a most glorious moment in our nation's history. For over fifty years, we have been terrorized by giant monsters, and in particular, Godzilla. Today we reveal to you the ultimate, fool-proof anti-Godzilla weapon. With this laser device, we will forever put an end to the monster's reign of terror!" Brief, almost half-hearted applause broke out. "Now, I will introduce the young genius who is responsible for this entire project - Mister Fumio Subo. Please pay close attention as he starts the operation." He signaled Fumio to take center stage.

Subo sensed the uncertainty filling the air but he had anticipated this. These humans had every right to be skeptical of him and his weaponry since reliance on both man and machine had failed them so many times in the past. He began his presentation as if he hadn't noticed.

"Here we have the control panel for the recording which we will soon play. The sound that this tape produces will attract Godzilla to our exact location. Using technology of my own invention, we are able to send the signal halfway around the world. Thanks to the assistance of Doctor Kamaiya, it appeals only to Godzilla and uses a sonic signal that is certain to get his attention. Otherwise, we might attract every kaiju on Earth. Once he arrives from the ocean, we will lead him within firing range. After that... is history."

Fumio turned to his assistant, Viceroy Kubota, and signaled for him to play the tape. After conferring with his technicians, the reels of a small tape recorder began to turn and a high-pitched, electronic noise was heard. As Fumio turned back toward his guests, he noticed one official eager to ask a question.

"Yes, Admiral?"

"This may seem odd but I have to ask. Why are you using a thirty year-old tape deck rather than a CD or even a computer media file?" There was a chuckle at the officer's question. Fumio smiled as well and shrugged.

"I suppose you could say I am a man of the seventies." Another laugh and the mood lightened.

"What if Godzilla overpowers your machine?" asked a lady from the back. Kubota stepped forward with a kind smile.

"As you know, the T17-B Satellite that was put into orbit above the Earth has a weapon system very similar to the one installed in this tower but much more powerful. It can be fired at any location in the world. Besides that, we have at our disposal two kaiju, one of which is of our own creation. The other is a revived King Ghidorah." Shocked faces uttered gasps that filled the room. General Aso immediately rushed over to Fumio.

"What do you mean, calling King Ghidorah here?" he roared. His greater size and stature appeared to tower over the calm and confident businessman who did not so much as flinch.

"Do not be concerned, General. King Ghidorah is under our direction." The Japanese officials were dumbstruck, be it from fear or mere speechlessness at these new developments. Ever the self-assured and confident host, Fumio quickly directed them to a viewing booth separate from the control room, leaving Aso behind as if brushing off the issue of the monster.

"From there, you may watch the end of Godzilla's reign of terror in comfort and safety. My associates are standing by to provide any refreshments you may desire." He raised his hand to indicate three young ladies who bowed in unison and then picked up sumptuous trays of elegantly prepared snacks. "If you will excuse me, I must see to deploying the laser weapon." Fumio bowed and left his guests to settle in.

"Awaken King Ghidorah," he ordered the technician who was manning the communications equipment.

"I assure you," Kubota continued to the guests. "Everything is completely in order. We fitted King Ghidorah with mind control devices that cannot fail. Also, the Godzilla Tower is capable of handling more than one monster should anything go wrong.

A young man suddenly shoved his way to the front of the crowd and yelled, "What you are doing is wrong! It isn't bad enough that the kaiju of this world have been confined to an island prison. Now you seek to kill them as well!" he went on, much to the shock of everyone present.

"Indeed? And may I please ask who you are?" Fumio asked him with a cocked eyebrow.

"Who I am is not important but what I represent is. I am a part of the Animal Liberation Front."

"I see... Well, good sir, it is only Godzilla we seek to destroy, not the rest of the kaiju who live peacefully on Ogasawara."

"It doesn't matter! If the various governments of the world had their way, they would all be exterminated, I'm sure. The only reason they don't is the fear of a public and political backlash."

"You are entitled to your opinion," Fumio informed him.

"It is not opinion! It is a statement of simple fact," the activist responded angrily.

"Whatever the case, if Godzilla was content to remain on Monsterland with the rest of the kaiju who dwell there, there would indeed be no need for this operation. But time and again, the beast has broken free of the island's boundaries, despite the latest technological advances to keep him there. He has continually attacked Japan and other countries for countless years. The nuclear disaster at the power plant in Higashido-ri last year as a result of one of his feeding binges left the entire region uninhabitable and under quarantine. And it still is, may I add. The death toll was nearly half of the city's seven thousand-plus residents. With that in mind, what exactly would you have me do?"

"What I would have ALL OF US do is take responsibility for our actions. We created Godzilla by tampering with the laws of nature and God with our science. Godzilla is our divine punishment for our foolishness. It is time that we reaped what we have sown! We have earned this living breathing wrath and should except its final judgment. Furthermore, when your race first made contact with our world, we had hoped that your seemingly benevolent species would teach humanity about the importance of living in harmony with nature. But I see now that you are no better and no different than those who live on this planet!"

"Well, that is very interesting but if you will please excuse me, I have an important operation to attend to..."

"No! You will not dismiss me! You will hear my words! You will remember what I have said this day! All of you!" the man cried out as he suddenly drew a pistol and fired at Fumio, who along with everyone else, dove behind the podium. A moment later, the mentally unbalanced extremist was tackled by several security guards as the people nearby screamed and panicked. Some took off running while others stayed hidden behind whatever was handy.

Once the situation was under control, it was Fumio who stood up first. "As you can see, our security personnel have everything well in hand." The cool and collected Nebulan stretched out his hands in a gesture meant to settle everyone down.

"I guess it is a good thing that I did not tell him that I had steak for dinner last night..." Fumio joked, eliciting a bit of laughter from the onlookers. "Is it too late for me to say that I come in peace?" he added, bringing forth a louder reaction of amusement from the unnerved crowd.

At far away Monsterland, orders were received from Japan to turn all security systems off and permit Godzilla to leave without interference. It wasn't long before he stirred from his slumber, opening a lazy eye as a sound echoed in his head. Half-awake, he thought he might be dreaming but after a minute or so, he realized what he had actually heard. Both eyes snapped open and his ears twitched attentively. He raised his head slightly off his resting rock and cocked it in concentration. It was the sound of an evil laughter, one that roused his blood and stabbed at his heart.

The space demon was calling out to him, from the very center of Godzilla's territory - Japan - with a challenge. He would never tolerate that filthy creature to trespass on his land! The Monster King slowly rose to his feet, awakening Anguirus who had been resting his own head on Godzilla's stomach. The spiky kaiju settled on his four paws and shook his head to wake up.

"What's the matter?" he inquired in kaiju-speak. Godzilla moved forward and stared out at the horizon over the ocean.

"Ghidorah... "

"Are you sure? I heard nothing..." Anguirus stood on his hind legs and listened intently. "You are dreaming -"

"His call for a fight." Godzilla's eyes narrowed and his muzzle tightened with anger. He thundered toward the shore, waking and scattering flocks of birds with each footfall. Suddenly, Godzilla Junior appeared nearby.

"Father? Where are you going?" Godzilla halted at the sound of his voice. It always sounded funny to him for Junior to call him that, seeing how they were not related other than being of the same species.

"To Japan."

"Another battle?" Junior asked.

"Yes."

"Then I shall fight with you!" the young Godzilla stated firmly.

"No, not this time. This is no ordinary foe."

"But father, I-"

"You WILL stay here!" Godzilla cut him off sternly in a tone that Junior knew better than to challenge.

"Yes, father." Junior regretfully hung his head as Godzilla entered the water. When he was ankle-deep in the cold surf, he turned back to Anguirus, saying nothing but his stare spoke volumes.

"I am coming but this better not be just a dream... "

"You take Anguirus with you but would leave me behind?" Junior complained.

"It's for your own good, kid," Ang told him.

"Don't call me 'KID'! I may have put up with that when I was barely large enough to take down a Kamakirus but I'm nearly grown now. And with all due respect, I AM a superior fighter to Anguirus!" protested the Prince of the Monsters.

"That ain't the impression I got when I made you cry uncle in our last wrestling match," Anguirus reminded him, much to Junior's embarrassment.

"We do not know what lies ahead, my son. This could be a trap. You are staying and that is final!" Godzilla chastised him.

With that, the two elder kaiju departed, leaving a dejected and frustrated Godzilla Junior standing on the shoreline.

It had been about 14 hours since Monsterland reported that Godzilla had departed and Anguirus was following him. This took everyone by surprise but Fumio assured them that with the combined might of both Gigan and Ghidorah, there was little to fear. After a long period of silence, the communications technician had an update.

"Godzilla and Anguirus have entered Tokyo Bay." Fumio re-entered the viewing room and directed the officials' attention to the wall where a row of chairs set facing it. As they took their seats in slight confusion over the manner in which he was handling this operation, a giant electronic viewscreen slowly appeared from behind smoothly parting drapes. It quickly came to life with a beautiful image of Tokyo Harbor and the ocean beyond. Minutes later, the great saurian rose out of the bay with a thunderous roar, earning gasps from the women present.

Godzilla lumbered out of the water and approached the general source of the signal, ever alert and on edge, with Anguirus at his side. At first, he seemed slightly confused as he was practically on top of where the calling was coming from, yet there was no sign of his arch-enemy. Quickly, his mind shifted to yet another peculiarity as he felt a strange ambience about him, one that he couldn't quite discern. It was a bizarre sense of displacement in the world that he hadn't felt since... He turned his great reptilian head and saw something that startled even him. It was himself, but yet not. As he looked at it, he realized that it was a structure and not a biological copy. To see an impersonator, animate or not, only caused Godzilla more anger.

The thing, as if noticing him, seemed to flash a light from its 'mouth'. Godzilla cocked his head, wondering what was about to happen and prepared to take quick action. A beam of energy blasted from the Godzilla Tower and barely missed his head. It was still strong enough to shave off a layer of skin from the side of his face, causing Godzilla to throw up his head and bellow in irritation. The pain only served to make him madder as he advanced on the imposter, growling angrily. Anguirus, just as confused, followed closely behind.

Suddenly, a vibration in the ground nearby caught their attention. Two craters were opening before them. From one rose two gigantic blades that sliced the air and clanged loudly against each other. The creature they belonged to soon followed, knelt down and raised his head to stare at Godzilla through a single red eye that took up most of its face. It opened its metallic beak and insect-like mandibles, letting out a shrill shriek. The monstrosity rose to its full height, standing as tall as Godzilla himself. Gigan flexed his blood-red wings and gave the chainsaw implanted in his chest a test spin. Godzilla answered with a low growl, clenching his claws as Anguirus stood at attention, never taking his eyes from the bladed alien.

From the second pit rose three majestic serpentine necks. Godzilla took an involuntary step backwards as hatred flowed through him. He swore he had killed this abomination yet his enemy had, it seemed, risen from the dead and was more menacing than ever before. His appearance had clearly changed since their last encounter and his size doubled. Grand King Ghidorah cackled and came out of his holding pen.

"This time you won't come back from the dead," Godzilla growled. But there was no response, no real sense of acknowledgment in its eyes. His own eyes narrowed. "It figures. You never were anything but a puppet."

Gigan let out another shrill metallic chirp that hurt Ghidorah's internal ears. He growled but knew better than to strike out against an ally, at least until the greater threat was overcome. Anguirus, having barely been able to contain his aggression, charged the bladed cyborg on all fours. Gigan side-stepped the attack, turned and caught the spiky kaiju under the chin with one of his hooks in a single fluid motion. Anguirus shrieked in pain as he was gaffed like a fish. Godzilla bellowed and charged to help his ally.

Ghidorah used this diversion to rise into the sky with a few beats of his enormous wings. He then flew around Godzilla as he wrestled Gigan's arm blade from Anguirus' jaws. Ghidorah slammed feet first into Godzilla's back, knocking him down atop his spiny partner. The anguirusaur's spikes painfully scratched his chest and belly, though his hide was too thick to penetrate. Gigan brought his chest saw into play and leaned down toward him, causing Godzilla's back plates to spark and flare wildly. His tail suddenly whipped around, knocking Gigan's feet out from under him, the cyborg squawking loudly as he slammed into a complex of small multi-colored mushroom-shaped buildings.

Godzilla pushed himself up and grabbed him by his stubby wings, lifted and threw Gigan straight at King Ghidorah, sending both kaiju into a tangled heap. Ghidorah used his three heads to toss the confused cyborg away from him and charged Godzilla and his injured partner. He vented his full fury on the Monster King, lifting him into the air and shaking him like a rag doll while sending electrical charges from his mouths all the while. Try as he might, the great dinosaur could not break free of his antagonist's fierce grip. The dragon's strength was surprisingly stronger than before and nearly overpowering.

Gigan leapt skyward and disappeared as Anguirus tried to collect himself and help his friend but he was met with a blast of electricity from Ghidorah's wings, sending him falling backwards into one of the holding pits. Another beam of blue energy blasted from the Godzilla Tower and tore a hole in Godzilla's side, almost gutting him. He had never felt anything that powerful before and was surprised by the damage he had received. Shrieking and bellowing in pain and anger, Godzilla convulsed and began to foam at the mouth.

Anguirus pulled himself out of the hole and quickly trotted behind the space dragon. Turning away from his foe, he hurled himself backward with all his might. His spiny carapace drove into Ghidorah's back which drew a satisfying cackle of pain. He was forced to release Godzilla who fell forward and tripped over his enemy's body before stumbling into a large office building in the park. The mighty kaiju stood up, shaking the foam from his muzzle and looked gratefully at his ally but his face quickly changed to an expression of anger and... FEAR?

His long-time friend cocked his head in confusion, never having seen that emotion from the Monster King before. His eyes grew larger as Godzilla charged and fired a beam of hot blue energy directly above his head. It was too little too late as Gigan landed next to Anguirus, his buzz saw roaring. The last thing the prehistoric beast saw were the spinning blades on his chest. He managed to let out a half roar of surprise before they sawed his head off in one quick, bloody motion. Godzilla fell silent in horror as the prideful cyborg danced to his own mechanical laughter. He then kicked Anguirus' corpse out of the way and turned to Godzilla, lifting his right arm and firing dual barbed wire grappling hooks from his wrist that wrapped around the Kaiju King.

Still in shock at Anguirus' sudden death, he barely noticed a second pair of hooks tighten around his right side. With his arms and torso tied up, Gigan reeled in his prey and revved up the still-bloody chest saw once again. Godzilla, realizing his predicament, struggled futilely as the cyborg drew him in closer and closer.

King Ghidorah, having recovered and seeing the tide of battle turned in his favor, walked behind Godzilla and tortured him with a seemingly endless bombardment of electrical gravity beams to the back. His chest sparked as Gigan's blades hit rock-hard skin that gave way to a flurry of chunked hide as their space metal bit in deeper. Nearly exhausted, Godzilla garnered enough strength to charge his atomic energy for a final beam blast. His dorsal plates glowed blue and his open mouth disappeared behind a brilliant flash of light but he was firing wildly, missing Gigan's head but shearing off the top of one of his wings.

Surprised by the sudden attack, Gigan stepped back and kicked him in the stomach with his bladed foot, sending the monster to his knees. Clutching at his injured abdomen, Godzilla lost his balance and toppled forward into the dust. For a moment, he remained still, growling under his breath. Then both arms stretched out, palms to the earth as he tried to push his body up. He raised his head while struggling to his knees and stared up at Gigan. As he opened his mouth in preparation for another fiery blast, a brightly flashing laser beam shot out from the Godzilla Tower.

Blue streaks of light danced across the Monster King's neck and face, scattering sparks and smoke. He lost his balance again, falling on his hands. His vision blurred as images faded in and out. He couldn't hear anything and the ground was spinning beneath him. Godzilla shook his head, trying to regain some degree of composure but his mind still reeled. With great effort, he lifted his head and stared at vague, orbiting shapes that resembled Gigan laughing although he heard nothing. A final blast of the deadly laser flared from the Tower, striking Godzilla directly between the eyes, blasting pieces of hide off his brow and knocking him on his side and into the dirt once more.

As the dust settled, Gigan waited but nothing happened. He powered down his chest saw, reeled in his grappling hooks that slithered from around Godzilla like snakes to their dens and stepped back. The alien beast remained ready but the King of the Monsters did not rise. A stream of fresh blood ran down the side of Godzilla's face from his forehead but no grunts or moans came forth. Not even his breathing could be heard.

Silence fell over The Children's Land, the fiery red sun sinking into the deep blue and yellow evening sky over the city, silhouetting the two space monsters standing a short distance away on either side of the fallen beast. King Ghidorah sneered and kicked Godzilla toward his decapitated comrade. The victors' roars soon filled the air as Ghidorah gazed down at the unmoving bodies of Godzilla and Anguirus.

Inside the Godzilla Tower, the spectators of the great showdown sat in awed silence. Though they seemed frequent from history's standpoint, monster fights were still rare and epic events to behold. The very size of the beasts, the energy unleashed and the unfathomable destruction which ensued was breathtaking and very often changed the lives of those who lived to witness them. Although the great all-out battle of 1999 was generally considered the apex of such events, few would dare try and underplay the importance and power of what they had just seen. It was much shorter than anyone had anticipated yet decisive.

"This was history," declared Fumio. And it was. But now that it had come to pass, the audience was left with uncertain and uneasy feelings. Adrenaline and mixed emotions rushed through their bodies as the realization of the complete irony of it all hit them one by one. They had just seen the execution of the Earth's greatest threat ever known, and yet, its greatest protector. They had blamed and condemned the monster for the death of literally millions of people; a monster that they had created. They tried to destroy him at every turn and somehow always ended up looking to him for help. And, as if poetic justice, the only true evils which plagued life on Earth for decades, extra-terrestrial beings and King Ghidorah, had been crucial instruments in dealing the death blow. A subconscious sadness and honorable respect for the beast swelled up within many present that day.

Now it was done, the victory won and the struggle over but Doctor Kamaiya was perplexed. He had spent much of his professional career studying Godzilla as a model upon which large amounts of the science of kaijuology was based. But even within the realm of science, Godzilla held a status that was unparalleled by any other specimen. When teachers would teach, researchers study and professors lecture on subject matter pertaining to this creature, it was always with a sense of unspoken respect. Godzilla had achieved a status of legend and legends never die, or so Kamaiya repeated to himself over and over. No matter how much he tried to convince himself of this, he could not shake from his mind the image of Godzilla lying there, dead. The legend had died and he helped make it happen.

Kenji shook his head. He had simply done his civic duty. In fact, he was not only serving his country but the entire world. He was giving people the chance to LIVE. Regardless of the scientific cost, moral code demanded that people live. They must and he had saved them.

His attention was drawn to his right, noting Subo and Kubota conversing amongst themselves. With a long sigh, he turned back to the viewscreen, now zoomed in on the two corpses. Don't prove me right, he thought sourly.

Kubota stepped over to Fumio and whispered something. With a perplexed look on his face, the Chairman went to a computer console surrounded by his staff members. They looked up at him and gestured toward the screens. For the first time since he donned his human guise, Fumio looked as if he was about to sweat. Crossing the room, he approached General Aso in the friendliest way he knew.

"Excuse me, General." Still half-stunned by the brilliant execution of their plan, Aso hardly registered his presence.

"It was wonderful, wasn't it? It worked! It really did. After all these years... "

"General Aso, I believe we must terminate the operation."

King Ghidorah felt something wash over him, a bubbling sensation flowing through his veins and electrifying his every bone. His body tingled and his mind, bit by bit, seemed to return to true consciousness. The three heads lowered, their eyes shut tightly while this unusual feeling surged through him. He was becoming aware of what was around him and what it meant to HIM. His thoughts were different, ambitions different; sense of direction lost but for a moment and suddenly, lacking any impulse to serve another. He slowly realized what was happening and this gave him a surge of confidence he had not felt in years. It was the feeling of FREEDOM!

He quickly grasped the meaning of this victory. Godzilla, quite possibly the most powerful creature on Earth, was down for the count. He kicked the behemoth in glee and the dethroned King of the Monsters rolled onto his side, tongue flopping out of his mouth and eyes blank. Grand King Ghidorah threw back all three heads in a cacophony of sadistic laughter until his chorus was interrupted by the shrill metallic call of Gigan, the creature he had been allied with by his Kilaak 'masters'.

The Destroyer of Worlds had energy within him he hadn't felt since the Xians dragged him to this godforsaken solar system. He would destroy them also for their error, along with the Kilaaks for pitting his weaker form against a force they knew he could not defeat. He would destroy the Nebulans for their stupid cyborg creation, even if it did give him the chance to finally kill his most hated enemy. He would destroy the Earth for defying him so many times in the past! And he would destroy every alien race that showed itself just because he felt like it.

Ghidorah ceased his laughter and his campaign of vengeance began. The time had finally come and the cosmic terror turned toward the Godzilla Tower standing tall and proud nearby. It had also assisted in the battle with its destructive ray but Ghidorah opened his three mouths and blasted the head with gravity distortion beams. The 'face' exploded, along with the laser weapon, in a grand display of fire and sparks as chunks of debris flew across the landscape.

Inside the Tower, people screamed and hollered as they fell over their seats to the hard concrete floor, then were thrown forward back into the stationary chairs. General Aso lunged to grab a metal railing bolted to the floor as the Tower was shaken a second time from another hit. As half of the company slid backwards yet again, he looked up to find Fumio holding tight to the computer console. Aso squinted in contempt at him. Subo looked up in time to notice and realized he was going to have a hard time talking his way out of this. What went wrong? Everything was going so well...

An explosion rocked the control room. Once the Tower stopped tottering to and fro, Kubota ran to Fumio. "Sir, we really must get these people out of here! I called a transport. We must get outside!" Subo nodded and picked himself up as his assistant turned toward their guests. "Everyone! A rescue craft is on its way. Please, to the stairwell!" They gathered themselves together and hurried as quickly as their bruised and shaken bodies would allow. As Kubota directed the evacuation, Fumio went to the communications console.

A half-chirp of horror broke the three-domed beast's concentration. Grand King Ghidorah sneered and turned back to Gigan who was stunned both by the dragon's sudden treason and the momentary loss of control held over him. The creature let out another ear-splitting shriek, this time one of question, if not outright confusion. The King of Terror bellowed, eyeing the first being to suffer under his newfound reign. Gigan didn't have time to defend himself as the behemoth's entire weight slammed into him. He fell on his back and dug his hooks into the ground, attempting to lift himself back up as King Ghidorah approached. The titan blasted his arms out from under him and flipped him onto his belly. Gigan lifted his head in time to see a clawed foot coming down. The blades atop his head shattered against Ghidorah's hard scales.

High above the Earth and out of sensor range, King Karkaru slammed his fists into the control panel of the FLAMING FURY, causing the housing to split apart. On the wallscreen before him, he watched King Ghidorah attacking Gigan.

"What is happening down there?" he demanded. The technician sitting in front of him jumped out of his seat in fright.

"We have lost control of King Ghidorah, sir," the ignorant Kilaak stammered. Karkaru screamed in anger and was on top of the inexperienced fool before he could react. He held the terrified young soldier up off his feet by his uniform coat, glaring with all the fury of their homeworld in his eyes.

"Get him back to us," he ordered as calmly as he could before throwing the soldier to the deck in a silvery heap. The Kilaak quickly got to his feet and back into his seat, playing his fingers across the controls furiously.

"Incoming call from the Nebulans, sir," the communications officer announced. Karkaru punched it up on his command screen. The furious, distorted face of Fumio Subo appeared, replacing the image of a cackling King Ghidorah. Behind the roach, the Kilaak commander could make out the ruined remains of a control room turned on its side, fire crawling up the walls. Fumio had made sure no one was nearby before initiating the call.

"What do you think you are doing!" he shrieked angrily.

"This is not our doing. We have lost control of King Ghidorah for unknown reasons," Karkaru replied as calmly as he could manage.

"Then I suggest that you FIND control quickly! Too much time, effort and planning has been put into this undertaking to have you destroy it!" the Nebulan screamed. Karkaru resisted the urge to declare war on the stupid, repulsive insect and crush him under the feet of the grand Kilaak army.

"We will try to regain control of the creature," Karkaru advised, his voice betraying his anger at the Nebulan's outburst. The Chairman fumed in rage for several moments before he responded.

"Very well. Get control of your monster. We will fight alongside you to take over the Earth but no relations between our species will take place afterwards." Fumio's image disappeared, replaced once more with that of Grand King Ghidorah literally destroying the cyborg known as Gigan. Karkaru's face hardened like steel as he stared intently at the scene. This was no fault of his and he couldn't wait for Subo to repair this mess. Things needed to start moving, and fast. His clenching fists crushed the metal bars that served as arm rests on his command seat.

"Withdraw our ships from this place," he ordered coldly. "Then proceed with the destruction of the human base on the planet's moon."

"But, sir! We agreed to wait until..."

"Silence! Do as I tell you!" With that, Karkaru stormed off the bridge, leaving his crew in stunned silence.

Within the remains of the Godzilla Tower, Fumio struggled toward his guests who were being hastily evacuated into a Nebulan shuttle that had just landed beside the theme park. He quickly found Kubota who was tending a cut arm. "Call the base and order them to engage Ghidorah with the satellite. Drive him away from here." As the Chairman walked off with the remaining humans, he took a communication device from his orange suit coat.

"Control. Attack Ghidorah immediately with the weapon. Distract him away from the Tower!" He returned the alien object to his pocket and quickly made for the spacecraft.

Gigan tried to scream through the rubble he was being ground into as King Ghidorah leaned down and latched all three of his mouths onto his wings. A terrible ripping noise was heard as they were torn from his back while Ghidorah held the cyborg's head under his foot for leverage. The space dragon tossed the bloody appendages away like so much trash. Gigan's body shook violently and his bladed limbs flailed in agony, sparks flying from the new opening in his back as wires and circuits were torn in two. Ghidorah lifted his foot from the bloody head and Gigan slowly staggered to his feet, trembling with shock and cowardice.

His single crimson eye glared at the Destroyer of Worlds before a beam of red light blasted forth, spreading harmlessly across his light-reflecting scales. King Ghidorah just cackled, enjoying his little fit. Gigan shrieked in fear but unable to fly away, he charged forward. The space monster opened its three mouths and grabbed Gigan's arms and neck to prevent the spinning blades in his chest from even touching his golden hide. The battered creature was lifted into the air to struggle helplessly for a moment before Ghidorah channeled electricity through his body. There was a long, horrible metallic scream of agony as the cyborg jerked violently, circuits outside his body exploding in showers of sparks. Suddenly, his foot shot forward, its hardened blade digging into Ghidorah's flesh and causing a flow of crimson from his belly. Ghidorah threw Gigan to the ground violently, creating an impact crater and destroying most of the remaining structures of The Children's Land. A blood-curdling scream echoed from his three mouths.

Ghidorah tired of playing games and spun around at a speed that defied his massive size. One of his club-like tails smashed into Gigan's face, denting his metallic beak. The other quickly followed, knocking it off altogether. Gigan lay broken on the remains of several small buildings and a ferris wheel, metal gears and hooks and wires moving back and forth where his beak had once been fused. Ghidorah did not care if the creature was dead or alive but opened fire with all twelve of his electric wing beams. Gigan thrashed and convulsed as tissue and electronics alike were ripped apart by the burning energy.

Fortunately for the dying creature, though sensitive to pressure, he was not created with any real feeling or emotion other than hatred or fear for an enemy. But such freedom from the tortures that now befell him was of little use as he did not require feeling to understand what was agony.

King Ghidorah finally ended the barrage and stared down at the results. Gigan didn't move except for an occasional spasm. He again picked up this trash in his three mouths and tossed the cyborg atop the carcasses of Godzilla and Anguirus. Ghidorah then lifted into the air and landed on the pile of vanquished enemies before throwing back his three heads in yet another song of victory. He was unaware of the large Nebulan satellite orbiting high above.

Suddenly, a massive beam of light struck the space monster, penetrating his shield and tearing a ragged hole in his right wing. King Ghidorah screamed in surprise and pain. His attacker carried a much stronger beam device than the one used in the Godzilla Tower. The monster lifted into the air to find his tormenter but it fired at him again, this time striking his right head, knocking it backwards and slamming it into his back. The kaiju wailed in agony as the appendage flopped against his wing and hung down uselessly. A third beam shot out of the sky, barely missing him. Before another could be fired, he turned and flew away.

King Ghidorah was not stupid and knew when he was outclassed. It was better to flee and fight another day than to remain here and die. With a single resentful bellow, the Destroyer of Worlds turned and ascended towards the comforting cold emptiness of space.

_Nebulans Amongst Us_

"Go, quickly!" Fumio shouted to the people he was shepherding toward the rescue craft. This one was small compared to most of their fleet but the Nebulans did not want to risk detection by Grand Ghidorah. It was rounded on all sides like a flattened egg with sliver components visible between its yellow and green metal surfaces. The panic-stricken officials did not stop to marvel at its design and quickly climbed aboard.

When the doors had slid shut, Kubota shouted to the pilot, "That's everyone. Get us out of here!" In a cloud of gas and dust, the ship rose and paused as its secondary rockets fired up, turning the craft before flying off. Safely aboard what vaguely reminded General Aso of something he had seen in an American television series about alien lizards who disguised themselves as humans, he tried to control his rapid breathing so that he might properly interrogate Fumio. The man had just put him and members of Parliament at great risk, whether he realized it or not. Swearing to exercise more and follow his doctor's orders about eating less, the career soldier refused to secure his safety belt and towered over the comfortably seated Children's Land proprietor.

"Mister Subo, you have a lot of explaining to do to my colleagues and myself, and the sooner the better!" he growled in a deep, low voice, glancing at his party and then back at Fumio. The others nodded as vigorously as their recent panic allowed. Still standing as the craft smoothly took to the skies, Aso prepared to rip into the civilian as if he were a buck private. "First of all, there was nothing in our agreement about another kaiju... this Gigan... being involved in the operation, much less King Ghidorah," he rumbled.

"And neither was Anguirus," Fumio calmly reminded him.

"But Ghidorah went mad! Did YOU plan that as well?" Aso yelled.

"Of course not!" Subo said firmly, rising from his seat. "We do not know why we lost control of the monsters but I assure you that it was most certainly not intentional, nor will it ever happen again!"

"You are no different and no better than the other aliens that have come to our world - deceitful and cruel!"

The smaller man's muscles tensed and his arms stiffened. It was all Fumio could do to restrain himself from slapping the General across the face or lunging forward and eating him. With a deep breath, he looked each of the party in the eye. "First of all, I assure you that my people's intentions are only to help defend the Earth against the kaiju and aliens. We have succeeded with our first promise and wish to continue our association with the Japanese government and the United Nations, although we are not of this land ourselves.

"Everything I have ever done has only benefited your people. I cleaned up your planet and unified your nations and I saved your country from yet another kaiju attack. I organized the top-secret discussions that were held with the Mu Empire. I SWEAR to you that I will not rest until I learn the cause of this unfortunate malfunction but I have my suspicions.

"You know all too well of the threat of alien invasion that lies beyond your borders. I told you that there was the chance of renewed enemy activity and current intelligence reports that those chances are greater than we may have initially anticipated." Lying was a gift of his, as was to bend the facts or make them up on the spot. Fumio Subo wasn't worried. There were plenty of beings in this solar system that he could pin the blame on.

"I do not pretend to understand what is happening but I do know what we could do to be ready for it," he continued, now standing tall with a gleam in his eye that suggested he was about to tell them the secret to becoming billionaires. "Make peace with Mu. They are a grand nation with technology superior to yours in many respects. They would be a great ally in our planet's defense." The others stared at him.

"But that is not all," he grinned. "Mu has a sister nation that also desires peace with your country."

"And who is that?" asked one of the women present.

"Seatopia." There was another shocked silence, only this time the reference was somewhat more familiar. Legends spoke of a great earthquake and flood that supposedly destroyed the continent of Mu but Seatopia might have managed to survive. Sensing that he had once more secured safe ground, Fumio confidently pressed on, as if reading their minds.

"The Seatopians did indeed survive. We found that our ideals of a better world were quite similar, although they chose to remain in their underground realm rather than contend with the strife of modern times. Their technology continued to advance over the eons and it was with their assistance that the Godzilla Tower was able to defeat Godzilla once and for all.

"With your permission, both Mu and Seatopia - recently re-unified - would like to discuss a treaty of peace and security. They want to be a part of their brethren once again. They approve of your concept of the United Nations and wish to join it in order to help their fellow man. This is a give and take situation, my friends. They want peace and an alliance. In turn, you are guaranteed protection of your country. The undersea kingdoms want nothing ruinous to happen to our planet and neither do you," Fumio smiled meekly.

This was considered a reasonable request in light of what Fumio and his associates had accomplished. The advanced craft they were flying in had been virtually ignored as the Earthlings only thought of King Ghidorah behind them as they made their narrow escape.

Although Fumio Subo may not be exactly what he appeared to be, Godzilla had indeed been subdued, as well as Anguirus. And despite the attack of King Ghidorah, Fumio's associates had also driven it back into space. The 'rediscovery' of the 'lost' kingdoms was a bonus the officials never expected from the personable fellow who had sold them on a most amazing plan to once and for all rid them of such a destructive beast as Godzilla. Having processed all of this information, General Aso remembered the question he had when they first boarded the shuttle.

"By the way, where are we going?"

"To Seatopia," Fumio replied. "Now that the surface world is safe from Godzilla, this would be an excellent time for ALL peoples of Earth to once again reunite in peace and harmony. Should any country wish to war with its neighbors, Gigan, once rebuilt, may be the answer to the United Nations' efforts to finally encourage a perfect peace. There is no need for expending great amounts of manpower and resources on military forces or creating weapons of mass destruction. This is particularly an ideal of the citizens of Seatopia."

The Prime Minister undid his seat belt and approached Fumio with a deep bow, requesting he be excused to confer with his associates. As graciously, the alien also rose and retreated to the flight deck, confident that more than one crisis had been avoided this day.

The golden destroyer was wounded badly, his right head mangled horribly and hanging uselessly off his body. A large hole had been blasted through one of his immense leathery wings. The creature used his anti-gravity abilities to carry him into the void of space, not caring to use them. The only purpose they served was to collect solar energy so he could stay on any planet as long as there was sunlight. He could battle in darkness but only for several hours. However, with starlight shining on his back, he could function indefinitely so long as he didn't suffer any severe injuries, such as he had now.

King Ghidorah let out painful cackles that were lost in the vacuum of space as he rose to orbiting altitude and began drawing in micro-meteoroids to cover his body. It wasn't long before he was completely encased in a meteor of his own. However, rather than slink away from the planet as he had usually done from the worlds he attacked, he remained as a satellite in a geo-synchronic orbit that carried him directly over both poles. The meteor began to glow a strange, sickening shade of green as the triple-domed titan called upon an ancient secret power he had only recently discovered within himself.

He had ravaged countless planets in his lifetime under orders of the Iron Empire but even after he had been released from their control, he carried out his programming on still more hapless worlds. Death and devastation were not just a pleasure for the space monster but an instinctive necessity. He needed to destroy as much as any normal creature needs to breathe or eat. Deprived of this lust for destruction, King Ghidorah would eventually slip into a coma and die.

This is the reason he stopped completely eliminating all life on the various planets he visited. He left enough life force remaining so that they would eventually come back from the brink of extinction and thrive once more. King Ghidorah knew that he would eventually wipe out all life in the universe and be left with nothing. Little did the worlds he had left behind know that the King of Terror kept a close eye on them and when the time was right and they were once more ripe with life, he would come back to their healing soils to wreak havoc once more.

The universe was nothing more than a feeding ground for the Destroyer of Worlds. Every planet he had visited was labeled and branded like cattle because they were nothing more than that to him. But Earth was different. Unlike the countless worlds that fell before it, the Earth fought back. It did so with such ferocity that its inhabitants had caused King Ghidorah, for the first time in his long life, to retreat. However, in doing so, its creatures did little more than damn themselves further.

Like his brother, Death Ghidorah, King Ghidorah was endowed with the power to literally suck the energy from living beings. He didn't do this often because he rarely needed to. However, when retreating from the Earth monsters such as Godzilla, Mothra and Rodan, he had stumbled upon a massive supply of life-giving energy that no other alien race or creature before him could possibly have been aware of. He hadn't noticed it on other planets because by the time he was done with them, there was little left of it to be of any notice or use.

King Ghidorah had discovered the Earth's Mana. Unlike its atmosphere or magnetic field which he could only bend to his will in an area directly around him, he found that he could consume Mana in gigantic amounts and empower himself, healing his wounds and giving him great strength. Death Ghidorah dared not use Mana to such a degree. He depended on leeching the planet out until he grew a set of wings and was able to escape. Drained of all its Mana, Death Ghidorah would quickly starve. However, King Ghidorah did not need to worry about such an inconvenience. The energy quenched his thirst for death as well because he knew it would have adverse effects on the planet. Slowly but surely, he began to suck the energy from all living beings that inhabited it. The space dragon did this every time he retreated into the depths of space.

Humanity blamed pollution, industrial waste and nuclear materials for things such as global warming and the hole in the ozone layer. The Earth had survived the impact of massive asteroids and comets in its lifetime and more often than not, life became even more abundant afterwards. The actions of the little bipedal creatures scampering about with their technologies had little or nothing to do with these conditions. King Ghidorah himself had caused them. The space monster was the bane of Planet Earth and all life on it, using its Mana to bestow power into himself and heal his wounds. He was the worst possible enemy they had ever faced and now, Gaia, the very spirit of the Earth itself, was beginning to decay.

The Kilaaks knew this and had observed his actions. Unlike any other alien race, they understood what he was doing because they were connected to the beast. A large part of their plan in 1999 had been to have King Ghidorah come to Earth and be so horribly wounded that he would retreat into space and consume massive amounts of Mana to heal himself, thus weakening the planet's defenses and making it all the more easy to destroy and transform into a boiling, lifeless volcanic hellhole.

But in resurrecting their mascot, they didn't realize that the beast reborn was twice as deadly to the planet than it had been before. Earth was now in immense danger and the monsters of the world, being of such large stature and thus more quickly affected by the loss of Mana, realized this more acutely than the other lifeforms that cohabited the planet.

_Seatopia_

In the main courtyard of the Grand Palace, Emperor Antonio was on hand to personally receive his visitors. "King Antonio, my old friend! It is so good to see you again!" Fumio had walked directly up to him with outstretched hand before quickly remembering royal etiquette and his manners. Taking a moment to bow to Antonio and his heir, Prince Hector, the smiling monarch extended his hand to his longtime associate.

"It is good to see you as well!" He then turned to address the Japanese officials who had lined up behind Fumio, not exactly sure how to take in the splendor of their surroundings, much less the fact that they were indeed in Seatopia. It was bright and clean, everything seeming to be made of marble or coral and beautiful in its openness, giving an unusual but pleasant feeling of roominess.

"I take it your presence here means the mission was a success and that you are pleased with the project?" the king smiled.

"In a matter of speaking..." Fumio was having a hard time containing his anger and frustration.

"Fumio? What is wrong? You should be pleased with your great accomplishments..." Antonio had known him long enough to realize that his usual energy had quickly faded after their initial greetings.

"King Ghidorah has turned on us, your majesty."

"What? Who was responsible for this?"

"We do not know. He went completely berserk and has gone rogue..."

"What was the result?"

"Along with the Godzilla Tower, all of the theme park is in shambles. I am afraid that the Gigan was badly mauled as well. Ghidorah laid waste to anything and everything."

"Contemptible beast! But obviously, you escaped unscathed..."

"Yes. Myself, Kubota and the Tower's staff and guests managed to board a shuttle as Ghidorah was vanquished. A counter-strike was made by our T14-B satellite but Ghidorah survived the assault and escaped into space. In the meanwhile, my people are relocating to a secondary base in Kyoto. But despite all of this, Godzilla has indeed fallen."

"So you actually managed to kill Godzilla? It was amazing to observe on our monitors here in Seatopia before the signal was interrupted. That is when we started to worry," Antonio said as they led the way for the others into the royal palace side by side. Shortly, they were all seated in the main banquet hall with goblets of wine at hand.

"First of all, Godzilla is not dead," Fumio admitted as he carefully positioned the golden vessel before him.

"But the success of your project depended on his death, did it not?" the king frowned.

"Rest assured, your highness. Godzilla is being dealt with and our original plans can proceed as scheduled," Fumio assured him. "The lasers we built into the Godzilla Tower are the most destructive in the universe. We created them for the sole purpose of bringing the seemingly unstoppable monster down. The damage they did put him in a coma rather than killing him. Anyone in the known galaxies would be hard-pressed to match what we have accomplished."

"Where is he now?"

"In a secret underground facility under 24-hour surveillance with enough sedative running through him to kill a hundred blue whales. Just in case he does wake up. We do not plan on keeping him around long anyway. Remember back in 1965, when Gamera first appeared? The devastation he caused and how the Earth dealt with him?"

"Why, yes. They... You are going to send Godzilla into space?" Antonio asked in surprise.

"Quite correct. Your memory serves you well, oh honorable King. My associates are modifying a rocket as we speak. Even if he does wake up, he will be in deep space and of no concern to us."

"Brilliant! But what of Anguirus? He joined Godzilla in this battle..."

"Anguirus is dead. He kept trying to reach Godzilla but Gigan's bio-mech chest saw cut his head off. Victory is ours, albeit bittersweet."

"Then this is cause for celebration! Thanks to you and the wisdom of your world's leaders." He raised his goblet to the still somewhat awestruck Japanese delegation.

"I am glad that we have managed to lift this burden," Fumio beamed at the Prime Minister before turning to address Antonio. "But..." he started to say before glancing away.

"But what?" the astute king queried, concerned that his friend might not be able to fully enjoy the fruits of his latest success.

"We have it from very reliable sources in our spy network that other alien races have their eyes on our world. I received the information just before we arrived here. As well, King Ghidorah destroyed the Godzilla Tower. If word reaches them of his treachery and the fact that we do not have kaiju at our disposal anymore, along with our current weakened state..."

"Is this what is worrying you?" Antonio knew by his expression that Fumio was not at peace with himself.

"There is more. I am afraid we have intercepted a transmission from deep space that reveals invasion plans by numerous races, as best we can tell. The Mysterians, the Simeons and possibly others," Fumio finally replied after a long pause and a heavy sigh. "If push comes to shove... we humbly ask for your assistance."

"They must know that Godzilla is out of the way..." the General suddenly realized.

"I am afraid it goes far deeper than that. Based on the intelligence that we have gathered, these invasions have been in preparation for years or in some cases, decades even. They were simply waiting for the right moment to strike. And I think that Godzilla's defeat will be the signal that they have all been waiting for. After their previous defeats, they probably intended to return with enough firepower to kill Godzilla and whatever else got in their way. Removing him from the equation means one less obstacle for them."

"Would allowing Godzilla to roam free as a deterrent against these invaders have been preferable perhaps?" the King asked.

"No, he is a savage animal; a wild card with no allegiance to anyone and able to destroy whatever crosses his path. He had to be removed."

"Gods help us..." Antonio muttered with a frown.

"So they will soon be here?" General Aso asked, knowing it was only a matter of time.

"Actually, we think some of them already are," Fumio replied.

"What? How long have you known this? When were you going to inform the rest of us?" Aso roared angrily at the usually self-assured man before him.

"General, that was a part of the information that I just received."

"Where are they?"

"I am afraid we don't know that. They have hidden themselves rather well and if they don't want to be found, they won't be."

"Do you think that they are aware of each other's plans?" Antonio asked.

"I am not sure... Maybe, maybe not but it does appear to be a rather strange coincidence that they would all converge on the Earth at once like this."

"In the past, we barely survived attacks by a single race! How are we supposed to defend ourselves if they do attack all at once?" General Aso grumbled. With that grim thought, Fumio turned back to King Antonio.

"That brings me to another reason that I have come to you, my most trusted ally. If we do find ourselves being assailed, will you send your champion, Megalon, to our aid?" Fumio asked with a hint of desperation. The king seemed taken aback at first, as if not sure how to respond to the request. "Surely, they will all come. Please think about it, your highness..." he softly beseeched him. "But against our combined forces, and with the aid of Gigan and Megalon, nothing can stand against the Earth!" For what seemed like the longest time, the undersea ruler was lost in thought.

"Megalon currently lies in a deep slumber and has not been awakened for countless ages," he confessed with a tone that suggested he did not truly wish to disturb the ancient protector's sleep. "My son, as next in line to rule Seatopia, has been trying to connect with him but has not yet been successful."

"I truly sympathize with your reluctance, proud and noble King, but if we do not stand united against these invaders, I fear that he shall indeed sleep forever more... in death along with your people and all of us." Fumio's sad frown caused Antonio's head to snap in his direction as he grasped the realization of what he had just said.

"I understand," he began to say after a few moments' deliberation. "I will see what can be done."

"I sincerely hope that in your great wisdom, your choice benefits our mutual survival," Fumio declared as he raised his goblet into the air. "We have moved Gigan's body to another location and are working frantically to rebuild and repair both the organic and synthetic components that were damaged. Hopefully, we can revive him for this coming battle, should it occur. My guess is that not all of the other inter-stellar races will join forces as we have. Their squabbles with one another may be used to our advantage."

"Let us hope so, my friend. The Earth is our home as well. We will not give it up easily and not without a fight! But whatever may happen, we will stand together in this! A toast, my compatriot. To the unity of all people of Earth. May we prevail together!" the King proclaimed as everyone raised their goblets.

_Destruction of the Moon Base_

Toshima Yamagata stepped down onto the ladder of the STARLIGHT EIR-2 (Extraterrestrial Intelligence Rover), affectionately nicknamed the 'Ear'. This was one of two brand-new vehicles that had been provided for use at the Moon Base. Ever since 1999, the human colony and its activities had grown steadily.

A network of underground tunnels were being blasted beneath the lunar surface, creating a habitable living and work space that was naturally protected from meteors and solar radiation. The advanced Moon Lander and quarters from the old days had become museum pieces somewhere back on Earth, as had the MOONLIGHT SY-3. The ship had served its purpose well and proven itself worthy against the likes of the Kilaaks. However, it was not built for battle.

The MOONLIGHT SY-5, with twice the budget, time and effort, was a different craft entirely. While the STARLIGHT was designed to take the old role of the SY-3 in exploration and shuttling back and forth from Earth, the SY-5 was fitted with the most modern weapons money could buy, and then some. Advanced 'freezer' weapons, rumored to have been built with research being conducted for the new GOTENGO, were incorporated due to the Kilaak ships' ability to encase themselves in flames. While mankind seriously doubted that another Kilaak invasion would occur, space had proven itself too hostile to be fully trusted. The Moon was the perfect place to conduct war against any alien race that set its sights on Earth.

To Yamagata, such things did not matter. He was a scientist, an exo-biologist noted for his research on the Kilaaks after the destruction of their Mount Fuji base back in '99. However, he never expected to be on the Moon and he certainly wasn't expecting what he would soon find there.

The EIR-2 set down inside the crater where Toshima knew that somewhere beneath it, a treasure trove of knowledge and discovery awaited. Mankind had been able to decipher some alien technology from past failed invasions, most notably the Mysterians'. They had used these appropriated resources to increase their own understanding of the universe. Newer and much more efficient space ships were being built as early as the mid-60s. While conventional weapons stayed the same for the most part, Simeon 'blasters' were creeping into the black market, as were other new and deadly alien devices. But whatever the case may be, the Kilaaks were a different kind of alien.

Despite old theories that they were slow developers, the beings of living metal had more advanced technology than anyone could have ever imagined. They could have very well won their battle with the Earth if they had had more manpower and a bigger fleet available. Something told Toshima that it was a simple case of under-estimation on their part. Almost every alien race before them had suffered defeat for the same exact reason.

The scientist clicked on his helmet's built-in camera, taking in his surroundings as he walked through the site where the crew of the SY-3 had broken into the former Kilaak base. Strange shapes and machinery filled the ruined area. A massive explosion had occurred shortly after the control device was taken out several years ago and had left much of the already damaged construction in disarray.

Toshima came across a slight pit in the ground and looked down into it. Several rocks lay in a pool of silver liquid which had a strange mist coming off it. He stepped into the pit and picked up one of the rocks. Holding a flashlight to its side, he peered into a small hole in the bottom. A silvery, slimy-looking creature cowered in the light and sank deeper into its hiding spot. Yamagata pulled out a pair of tongs from his pack and managed to pull the little creature out. It squirmed slightly but eventually gave up its struggles.

"Pathetic," Toshima said, laughing to himself slightly as he pulled out a chilled metal container and placed the Kilaak in it. This was the first live specimen collected since 1999 and would prove to be a great resource for the Moon Base to study. After collecting several more Kilaaks and a few pieces of equipment, Toshima went back to the ship to drop off his findings and help lower the 'Moon Mole' from within the EIR. After the tunneling machine was readied, he went back and grabbed one of the containers with the metal slugs inside. Toshima wasn't much of a believer in luck but he figured there was no harm in trying it out.

The crew mounted up and used the machine to dig through the rubble into the wider sections of the base. Toshima was awed by a massive space port that lay before him, frozen in time. Gigantic machines littered the corners of the hangar and on the opposite side was a tunnel that tilted upward, leading back to the surface. The ceiling must have been a kilometer overhead, with dimly glowing yellow lights illuminating the chamber and filling it with ghostly shadows. Several scattered rocks marked the location of the Kilaaks who had once manned this place. It was then that Toshima noted there were thousands of them. They were everywhere, hiding in anything that they could fit in to regulate their temperature. He was stunned to see a massive vessel sitting in the center of the room. As the rest of the crew went their separate ways to explore, Toshima approached the warship.

He quickly entered the imposing solitary Kilaak spacecraft. It was easily 80 meters long, much larger than the fighters that were salvaged near Mount Fuji. It became abundantly clear to him that this vessel was intact. Toshima approached what appeared to be the bridge of the ship where a chrome chair sat in the center of a large raised platform. Smaller seats were noticeable along the curved edge facing computer consoles. He spotted a control panel next to the raised chair and sat in the uncomfortable rest to inspect it. Several switches and gauges, some glowing green and red and still looking brand new, adorned the panel. Curious, Toshima flipped one of the red ones.

Suddenly, the forward domed wall of the ship was replaced with a holographic image of the Earth, taken from this very location on the Moon. It rotated slowly in space, a beauty that Yamagata had grown used to seeing from so far away. So real was the picture that he was tempted to reach out and touch it. However, the image was no longer the blue and white world he knew. It was a ball of flames! Toshima's heart skipped a beat and he gripped the edges of the chair as the graphic plunged towards the planet, showcasing a world that was now unrecognizable. Vast magma fields covered continents while volcanos erupted constantly, pushing great clouds of ash into the sky. Fluctuating temperatures cooled the outer surface of the magma enough for it to become solid ground but the eruptions still kept the planet incredibly hot. On this solidified lava were cities with structures that caused Toshima to inwardly cower. The nightmare shapes twisted and pierced the hellish sky as armies of Kilaaks dressed in black and bronze medieval armor roamed the planet, seeking out and destroying any remaining life.

The Kilaak equivalent of a special effects show was over and the wallscreen once more became the blank curving dome of the space ship. Toshima slumped back in the chair, not aware that he had been on the edge of the seat and holding his breath. He felt a chill run down his spine as the realization set in. The Kilaaks had never intended to co-exist at all! They had been planning to wipe out the human race. They had wanted to completely destroy the Earth altogether. If it weren't for the Moon Base... After a moment of processing what he had just witnessed, the scientist keyed his mike.

"Everyone, come to the Kilaak ship... I need to show you something." There was no answer so he repeated the transmission, using a higher frequency. Only static came over his radio. Grumbling to himself, he left the ship and began to walk back to the Mole, attempting to contact his team as he went. He stopped dead in his tracks when he felt static electricity run through him. The energy shocked him slightly as it entered and left his space suit. Toshima turned around and noticed that the warship was glowing an angry shade of orange. With a strange whistling noise, the vessel seemed to burst into flames. He was knocked backwards by the blast. Suddenly, the tunnel that presumably led back to the surface came to life, as did much of the machinery along the walls. A wave of horror ran through Yamagata as an equally large Kilaak ship entered the chamber via the glowing tunnel.

Confused, he turned to realize that the Mole had gone back through the opening it had made. His crew had abandoned him! Toshima ran after it but the excavation suddenly caved in, blocking his exit. He turned and looked back at the Kilaak ships. They were both in flames now and if the sweat running down his back was any indicator, they were turning up the heat. Suddenly, the rocks around him began to move and crumble. The metallic slugs came out of their holes and began to grow. They mutated and shifted as distinguishable body parts began to form. Toshima felt something pop in his backpack and it suddenly became very heavy. He dropped the bag and ran back to the rubble pile that had been his exit, digging furiously and praying to every god he could think of to help him get out of this alive. He suddenly felt a shadow standing over him. When he turned, a woman dressed in white chain-mail armor was staring down at him.

"Pathetic," she said, grinning devilishly as she grabbed the helmet of his space suit. Toshima saw an army of Kilaaks rising from the dead and walking calmly toward their ships, crushing Toshima's spirit even as his faceplate exploded outwards, the incredible heat melting his skin and ending his life.

The crew of the EIR-2 arrived back at their ship and didn't bother to reload the Moon Mole. Quickly climbing into the vessel, the hatches were slammed shut as the engines flared to life, propelling the rocket through the opening above and out into the comforting black openness of space. But instead of freedom, all they saw was a fleet of black ships, each glowing with fiery energy. Before they could do anything, the lead ship, a 60-meter abomination, fired two spinning discs that sliced the STARLIGHT in two. All radio contact was lost, along with the report of the coming attack. Unknown to those back on Earth, no man, woman or child on the planet or otherwise was safe.

Directly over the North Pole, a meteor began to expand and contract until it suddenly burst in a fiery explosion that was witnessed only by the few satellites tracking its path around the planet. The flames twisted, distorted and swirled in on themselves, seeming to come alive; breathing, convulsing and thrashing about violently. The fire took on the form of the Grand King of Terror. It shone a brilliant shade of gold and then dissipated as King Ghidorah appeared once more, fully healed from his wounds and energized with a new sense of purpose. And hatred.

His shield had been empowered to allow him to deflect the Nebulan's massive beam weapons, as well as all the others he had so easily waded through before. The space dragon screamed his evil laughter, the unearthly noise once more lost in the vacuum of space, leaving an unsettling, horrifying image of the most terrifying creature to ever live in the freezing, absolute silence. The death-dealing monstrosity slowly descended into Earth's atmosphere once again. The true destroyer of worlds was not content to allow his defeat to slow him down. He would be more careful this time but his mission was assured. A deadly plan began to form in the space monster's collective minds. He would have his revenge! He would take it and deal it out equally to each and every living being he came across, whether it be man or monster. Nothing would stand in his way as he lay claim to destroying the planet Earth.


	3. UNEARTHLY POWERS

UNEARTHLY POWERS

After parting company with Emperor Antonio and the Japanese delegation, Fumio hastened to the Nebulan's secret base in a forested area outside Kyoto. The entrance to the facility had been made to look like part of a tree-covered hillside. This facility was far more expansive than their operations in the Godzilla Tower, with more work stations, living quarters and a work/storage bay for Gigan. It connected to a subterranean tunnel miles away, opening topside in a remote unpopulated area. Fumio and the other Nebulans had used a similar underground route to reach the base.

No one knew of its location, not even their so-called allies, and Fumio intended to keep it that way. Despite the size of this headquarters, the bulk of their weaponry and firepower (aside from Gigan), their orbiting satellite and a basic armory was based aboard a flagship that remained hidden not too far from the Earth. It was accompanied by a massive transport ship that housed their fleet. However, Fumio hoped that it would not have to be called into service, considering that his plans involved careful conniving to take the planet rather than brute force.

"All rise!" Viceroy Kubota commanded as he and about a dozen other Nebulans stood when the Chairman entered the main conference room.

"You may be seated," Fumio directed as they all sat down.

"Are you ready to hear the reconnaissance reports, sir?"

"Yes. Where is King Ghidorah now?" Fumio asked.

"After retreating, he took off into space faster than either our ships nor the Kilaaks' could follow."

"Is it possible that he has left this solar system?" Kubota inquired.

"Yes, but I do not expect him to stay gone forever."

"After the injuries he sustained, it would be foolish to return and force another confrontation, would it not?"

"True, but I do not believe that we have seen the last of him. I am sure he wanted to cause far more destruction and havoc than he did. Speaking of damage, what is Gigan's status?" Fumio was particularly concerned about the cyborg, having pledged its services to the Earthlings should they require assistance against any of the other alien races observed in Earth's vicinity. He would have to 'keep up appearances' a bit longer before the Nebulans' plans to take over the planet were in place.

"Not good, sir. But we think we may be able to salvage him, though it will take time."

"Time... a commodity we may not have," Fumio admitted forlornly. Just then, a page came over the communications system.

"Viceroy Kubota?" the operator finally spoke.

"Strict instructions were given for this meeting not to be disturbed or interrupted," he replied gruffly.

"My apologies, sir, but we have found something that you and the Chairman may want to look at." Kubota glanced at Fumio who nodded in resignation.

"This meeting is adjourned." They stood to leave, followed by the other Nebulan leaders. Moments later, they were in the main control room.

"Sir?" a subordinate beckoned Kubota from his radar panel. "Would you look at this, sir?" He brought into focus what appeared to be the remains of a crashed alien fleet he had located in a rural part of Okinawa. Closer inspection revealed the ships to be Garogan in design. The Nebulans had advanced, self-propelled miniature spy drones whose onboard cameras enabled them to observe anything from a safe distance and altitude not possible by any kind of human technology. They had been deployed all over Japan to monitor any and all other alien and kaiju activity.

"A Garogan fleet?" Fumio asked.

"Yes, sir."

"What caused this? What could have attacked them?" Kubota wondered.

"Unknown, sir. They entered Earth's orbit spiraling out of control and crashed shortly after."

"Was it another alien race that did this? Or a space kaiju perhaps?"

"Unknown. Other than the damage caused to the ships by the crash, there appears to be no other structural compromise." A look of confusion replaced the curiosity on Fumio and Kubota's faces. The mere idea of any machine failing for any reason other than outside attack was almost obscene to them. But then again, the Garogans always were an inferior race as far as the Nebulans were concerned.

"I have found something, sir!" the subordinate advised as he zoomed in on one of the crashed ships, closely scrutinizing its hull. What appeared to be a strange green ooze of some sort was evident. All of the ships were covered with it. "Could this be what caused the crash, sir?" he asked.

"Intriguing," Kubota said, almost to himself as Fumio continued to gaze at the monitor which had switched to another image showing the mangled and dismembered bodies of close to two dozen Garogans. The two leaders gazed at the screen, wondering what could have done this.

"Chairman, with your permission, I would like to take an investigative team to Okinawa," Kubota offered.

"Yes, I agree. We should know what happened there firsthand and if it poses any threat to us. The bunker in which we are keeping Anguirus' body is in the same area. Permission granted."

When the surface dwellers had departed with plans to announce the underground and undersea kingdoms' desire to assist the world against a possible alien invasion, Emperor Antonio retired to his private chambers to prepare his address to the United Nations. The elegantly furnished retreat echoed with the soothing sounds of classical Seatopian music, the beautiful instrumentals relaxing to the aged monarch's mind as he reviewed the memoirs of his reign. He paused for a moment to sigh and scratch his gray beard which had begun to thicken. The king lay back, feeling more like dozing off than dealing with affairs of state when the massive doors crashed open, the sound jarring his once-calm brain.

Prince Hector, his only son, jogged across the wide expanse of his father's anteroom. Fully decked out in popular Seatopian fashion, a silver button that symbolized his princehood pinned his toga at the shoulder. Antonio, his head still laid back, sighed deeply and shook his head. Oh, how I love my son but he surely needs to learn how to knock!

"Father," Hector began, continuing his quick pace towards his sire who stared straight ahead with a tired expression on his aged face. "We have reports of a possible attack on Earth by several alien species!" He looked at the King with great urgency whose response seemed one of boredom.

"The surface dwellers are handling it. Hector, you must learn that they can take care of themselves."

"But, father! A combined effort from who knows how many races is surely more than those primitives can repel! We must prepare our army..." He was cut off by his father's upraised hand.

"Hector, you, of all people should know that land forces are no longer used and inferior to the great titans that grace modern battlefields," he reminded his son in a stern voice. "Even the surface dwellers have learned that lesson," he chuckled lightly to himself.

"Then unleash Megalon," Hector replied grimly, trying feebly to stare down his wise father. Antonio continued to smile to himself.

"Hector, our Knight is older than I myself. He has no will to fight unless it is absolutely necessary and would rather continue resting peacefully in his sanctuary."

"But you could connect to him! You could project the will of every Seatopian into his heart and make him act on our needs..." Hector was almost in the Emperor's face and yelling.

"'Make' him? You think I can control Megalon?" Antonio seemed very offended by his son's words as he stood up proudly, staring down at him like a god. "I could make him do nothing! Megalon knows our people's needs and will act on them. He could choose not to but he will fight most valiantly, I assure you!" Antonio stared his son down with a fury unmatched by lesser rulers. Hector began to cower from his unexpected aggression.

"Hector, as my successor, it is your duty to be able to connect with the Great Defender and do as I did in our direst hours. How has your progress been? Has he responded to your calls? Or does he simply ignore your hot-headed demands?" Antonio looked at him with his wise old eyes and nodded when Hector lowered his head in shame, looking at his feet.

"He has ignored me," he admitted with terrible guilt. "But, father... Wouldn't it be a more fitting end for Megalon to die in battle than in a mound of dirt at our kingdom's doorstep? Wouldn't that be a more fitting memorial for the Knight of Seatopia?" He looked back up with slightly watery eyes. Antonio pondered this before giving his reply.

"Yes, I suppose it would. A fine end to Megalon's long knighthood. But you will have to ask him. If this is to occur, then he will have to choose to fight, not you choosing for him." Hector bowed in respect and quickly left his presence.

Hector stood in Megalon's sanctuary, looking up in awe at the massive mountain that held the sleeping hero. The room itself was long and covered with white kneeling mats for the daily prayers that took place here. Near the middle of the chamber's wall was the gigantic gem that reflected Megalon's mood and indicated if he was even listening to the person addressing him. Glowing a dull light blue, it signified peace within the guardian's mind and that he was sleeping.

The young prince took his position on a stage about a foot higher than the prayer area. In front of him was the chilling silver statue of the priest who first found Megalon in a fiery ball that fell from the sky. The great warrior went on to destroy their long-ago enemies, the Atlanteans. Megalon was named a hero and god who resided here ever since.

Hector took the headband off the statue with shaking, nervous hands and placed it around his forehead. He could almost feel the connection between him and the sleeping titan above him. Kneeling down slowly, his whole body seemed to shake uncontrollably. The gem brightened as Megalon began to wake from his slumber. Hector's throat was so parched he couldn't speak but he knew he had to act quickly or Megalon would drift back to sleep. He repeated his father's first words to him during the times when he would be called from his slumber.

"Megalon! Rise up, Megalon!" Hector extended his arms in a plea, just as his father had. The massive gem became a brighter blue as Megalon stirred. "Megalon! It is I, Prince Hector, heir to Emperor Antonio. Please! Hear my words." The almost-blinding blue became less intense. Hector's throat became dry again as he struggled to speak. "There is news that a massive assault on Earth will take place. Several races have stopped warring with each other and have turned their weapons toward Earth." Megalon's attention rose and the blue gem shimmered more brightly. "I fear that Earth may not survive such an attack. Megalon, the fate of the planet may lie within your mighty lances." Hector bowed his head and hoped for a response but it was a surprising one.

"Prince Hector, why would I bother to get involved with matters that only concern the surface dwellers and not Seatopia?" his deep, booming voice echoed in the huge chamber.

"Our kingdom resides on Earth as well..." he responded humbly, trying not to show any signs of excitement. Never before had Megalon addressed him by name.

"Seatopia resides under the Earth's surface, Hector. We are of no concern to the invaders." The gem began to dim. "If the invaders dare attack our borders, then I will defend them with all the might of Atlas. Now, I would rather rest in peace than go to the surface," Megalon said tiredly as the gem took on its dull blue sign of repose. Hector became angry with Megalon's ignorance and his shaking hands clenched. He literally yelled at Megalon as he began to drift back to sleep.

"Would you rather die honorably on the field of battle or would you rot in your temple while you sleep? Which end to a great warrior would you prefer?" Hector knew his actions were disrespectful and could be punished but he wasn't worried about that at the moment. The gem dimmed to nothingness and in a flash, lit up a bright ruby red that made Hector shield his eyes. The mountain shook and rumbled violently. Tons of rock rolled down as Megalon stood within his temple. He had finally done it! Hector had summoned the defender of Seatopia, the Great Knight Megalon.

Megalon's towering frame burst from the mountain but his appearance had changed since his first awakening. The once bright, shimmering black helmet had become dull and worn with scars and a few dents. His bulging, fiery orange eyes lit by the fury of a mighty warrior were faded, the left one having a massive, thick scar running across it. The shining, sharp horn on his had become tarnished. Overall, Megalon's entire body had lost its color and was laced with scars of varying sizes. His mighty drills had dulled with wear and a few of the sharp knobs had broken off. But despite his aged and battle-worn appearance, Megalon still had the ferocity of Ares. Hector fell to his knees in awe. The great warrior raised his massive drills over his head and gave a long shriek that echoed across Seatopia. Megalon had awakened.

_United World Powers_

"And so, once again our world will be united. After thousands of years, we shall be one nation; one people!" The huge crowd gathered at the United Nations Building in New York City roared their approval. The applause was thunderous as Emperor Antonio of Seatopia stepped away from the podium which had been set up in front of the great edifice. His son and officials of state were by his side.

He had just finished addressing the people of Earth who had finally been able to resolve their differences and work together as one for a world of perfect peace. The King, the Emperor and Empress of Mu; Fumio and members of the United Nations shook hands with one another, taking their time for the benefit of the many media representatives wanting pictures. Those in attendance at this historic occasion kept clapping and cheering the entire time.

The so-called 'lost' kingdoms of Mu and Seatopia having now joined the United Nations, a military branch was created: the United World Powers (UWP). In a conference room at the U.N. Building, its members were seated around a large oval table. A feeling of urgency and uncertainty filled the air as Earth Ambassador Yun Rees stood to begin discussion of counter-actions against this latest threat to the planet itself.

"We know from past experience that conventional weapons are likely all but useless against alien invaders. Nevertheless, the Global Defense Force is at our disposal."

"Have you no appropriate weapons?" asked Emperor Antonio.

"No, save for Maser cannons and such," General Aso admitted.

"Well, there is always -" began a tall young man with light brown hair who was standing in a back corner of the room. He quickly second-guessed himself and stopped.

"There is always what?" asked the Emperor of Mu.

"My apologies. I did not want to offend the Emperor," A. Johnson of the GDF admitted, stepping forward to properly address the dignitaries present. "But what if we used the GOTENGO? After all, it did single-handedly bring the Mu invasion to an end..." He looked worriedly over at the undersea ruler.

"He is right," replied the Emperor. "Putting our differences aside, I think the GOTENGO would make an excellent flagship for the GDF."

"Hardly," frowned the Ambassador. "It is in the Smithsonian Museum. Besides, the GOTENGO that defeated the Mu invasion would certainly be outdated by now. Especially compared to whatever the aliens might throw at us."

"Build a new one," suggested Johnson. There was another short silence as everyone thought this idea over. The Emperor glanced at his striking Queen, her bright red hair setting off her usual exotic wardrobe. She nodded in agreement.

"Our people will help you build the ship. We have great knowledge in the area of submersibles and will gladly offer our assistance."

"Thank you," replied General Aso. "We will begin the project immediately. Johnson, you will be in charge."

"If you will pardon my curiosity, your highness," the Prime Minister asked. "But how did Mu survive the original GOTENGO's assault?"

"We had an escape route to a fall-back location. Part of the reason Mu attacked the surface world in 1963 was because tectonic shifts in the sea bed beneath our kingdom would lead to its destruction in a short time. It was as much about survival as conquest. We had been constructing a secondary home for our people for just such a worst case scenario, which did come to pass. It is far smaller by comparison but adequate," the Empress explained.

"Let us also not forget that our new enemies are smart ones. They could send monsters to do their dirty work rather than risk the destruction of their space ships, which will likely be reserved for the invasion itself. We too should act in a like manner. Let monsters deal with monsters. We will save our military might for the intruders themselves." Emperor Antonio completed his remarks and sat back down.

"With the elimination of Godzilla, we have no adequate monsters," admitted the Earth representative, suddenly realizing that for all the destruction and death that the kaiju had caused, it had usually been the one thing that beat alien invaders back in the past. General Aso turned to Fumio, who had his back to him, looking out the window. Across the table, bright sunlight streamed into the room and reflected off the dancing dust motes in the air. The mastermind of Godzilla's absence finally turned back around.

"Gigan will be at your service when he is fully repaired," he offered.

"We hope that Megalon shall be able to join in this endeavor," declared Antonio.

"And Manda as well," added the Mu Emperor. "As may Gamera if it awakens to challenge this threat."

"Thank you, one and all." Ambassador Rees sat down with a sigh. "But I do not know if they will be enough." Suddenly, two faint female voices speaking in unison were heard all around them. The representatives and world leaders sat up in surprise except for Fumio who merely turned his head.

"We want to help, too." Everyone looked about when seemingly out of nowhere, three tiny women walked onto the table. The Earth people gasped but Fumio seemed a bit disappointed.

"The Elias!" exclaimed someone at the back of the room. Moll and Lora curtsied while Belvera simply stood with her arms crossed in front of her. Moll then proceeded to deliver their message.

"We have always wanted peace for everyone. And now that you are all getting along, it makes us most pleased. But we must work together if we are to beat the space invaders. Only then can we win."

"But... how could you... help us against an alien invasion?" stammered a military official, staring at them in amazement.

"Mothra will assist you. And Battra also," Lora assured them.

"Battra? What's that?" asked an aide.

"A guardian of the Earth. It was created thousands of years ago but now it sleeps. If our enemies become too strong, Battra will help us," Belvera explained.

"Well, that's wonderful!" declared the Ambassador as Fumio attempted to hide his frown by turning away.

"This is very encouraging news, isn't it, Mister Subo?" asked King Antonio.

"Yes, of course," muttered the disguised Nebulan.

"Then we shall return to Infant Island. Remember, as a people of peace, we will not help start this war but we will help end it. Good bye." Moll and Lora then called out in unison and Fairy Mothra appeared out of nowhere for them to climb aboard. Belvera mounted Garu Garu and the Elias quickly disappeared.

When he left the conference room, Fumio ducked down a side hallway and activated a miniature communications device to contact the Nebulan he had left in charge back at their base.

"I understand, sir," replied a voice through the tiny speaker. "Abort Mission Alpha. There has been a change in plans."

"Yes. I did not anticipate Mothra and the Elias joining this little consortium. Time is needed to analyze the situation and formulate a new plan," Fumio advised him.

_Angelique_

Moments after King Antonio had returned to his palace in Seatopia, Prince Hector rushed through the main courtyard as ecstatic as a child on Christmas morning.

"Welcome home, Father! The entire kingdom watched your address to the surface world."

"It was indeed an exciting experience. But first, explain to me the expression of jubilation that you have upon your face," the great ruler smiled.

"Yes, father. Megalon has awakened. He finally responded to my call."

"Excellent, my son! Where is he now?"

"Heading for the surface as we speak."

"Superb! Now do you see what a show of respect garnered you in our protector's eyes? Do you see what happened when you stopped being brash and insolent?" Antonio asked with a knowing grin.

"Yes, father. I am sorry that I acted inappropriately before," Hector replied with a slight blush.

"There is no need to be too hard on yourself. I was young once, too, after all," the King reminded him with an almost mischievous grin that made Hector wonder just what exactly his father had gotten into in his youth.

"Now that he has awakened, he will be a part of our new alliance as well. We will stand strong against whatever threats come to this world."

"Father?" Hector suddenly stopped as they walked together through the palace. He carefully prepared to address a matter that had been worrying him for some time now. "I don't know what it is but there is just something that I find... dubious about Fumio Subo..."

"Fumio? How could that be? He is one of, if not our greatest ally! What would prompt you to even think such a thing?" the old king wondered with a look of shock on his face.

"It is just a feeling that I have," Hector admitted lamely.

"Trust me, my son. You are worrying over nothing," Antonio assured him as he placed his arm on his shoulder.

"I hope you are right, Father. But in any case, I must go now." Seatopia's heir bowed before he was about to rush off again.

"Go? And where are you off to?" Hector stopped abruptly upon hearing the question, seeming as if he really didn't want to answer it.

"If I told you, father, you would only become upset," the young prince admitted regretfully.

"You are going to see her again, aren't you?" the aging ruler figured with a sigh.

"Must we go through this again, father? I really do not want to discuss it," Hector replied, finally turning around.

"Hector, please try to understand how I feel on this subject."

"Why can't you try to understand how I feel, father? I love Angelique with all of my heart."

"I do not doubt that for an instant, my son. But she isn't of royal blood..."

"You keep speaking of that as if it is supposed to matter..."

"And you think that it doesn't?" Antonio asked in surprise.

"Is that what decides the worth of my future bride? Is that what decides the worth of all our people?" Hector asked in an almost angry tone.

"Of course not! I am sure that she is a fine and strong woman. I would expect no less of a female of Seatopian birth. But there are many such women within the royal court, born of the highest nobility. Grand Duke Archaos has a wonderful daughter and then, of course, there is Shayira, the sister of Ramon, my most trusted aide. And many, many more who I could mention. Surely, you could court one of them?"

"I love whom I love, father, despite your reservations."

"But what about tradition, my son? For thousands of years, the royal bloodline has never been broken. We are the descendants of kings and queens born, you and I. It is because of the strong rulers of our past that our kingdom has flourished for so long. To go against tradition would be a great dishonor and disrespect to our rulers of the past. Can't you understand that?"

"Father, I do not mean to nor desire to disrespect our forefathers or tradition but I simply cannot help what I feel! And I do not wish to discuss this any further!" Hector declared and stormed off. King Antonio watched him go and rubbed his forehead. With an agitated sigh, he wished there was some way he could reason with his headstrong offspring.

In one of Seatopia's many beautiful gardens at the edge of the city, a young woman was pruning the lush floral growth when Prince Hector appeared. She bowed as she gracefully went to her knees before him.

"Please don't do that. You know how it makes me feel..." Hector said disapprovingly as he extended his hands to her.

"Is it not customary for any citizen of Seatopia when royalty is present?" she asked, at the same time making a statement.

"Perhaps it is, but I do not want you to bow to me. You are not some lowly peasant. You are the woman I love."

"True, but it is still tradition," Angelique insisted from her kneeling position.

"Tradition!" Hector grunted angrily as he turned away. "You sound like my father."

"Have I angered you, my Prince?" she asked, rising at last.

"No, it is not you. And I shouldn't have grown angry," he apologized, turning towards her. "Tradition is my father's reason for not supporting our union," he explained.

"Your father only wants what is best for you," she assured him as they embraced.

"I know he means well but he just doesn't understand," the young noble insisted.

"And I know that you are what is best for me, my love," Angelique assured him with a warm smile before they shared a passionate kiss.

"And I can easily say the same of you," he smiled.

"Tell me, Hector. Is it true? Has our god awakened? I heard a great roar echo across the city," she asked as they walked along, holding hands.

"Yes, it is true! Megalon has risen and will help defend our home and the Earth from the threats it now faces."

"There have been rumors of alien invasions and kaiju. Will Megalon be able to fight against it all?" Angelique asked worriedly.

"Our deity and protector is strong and we now have the alliance of Mu, as well as the surface dwellers to augment our great strength. You must have faith, my love.

"I have faith in you, my Prince. You give me strength just by being near me." She wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his chest. Hector held her close, resting his chin upon her head.

"Can you promise me one thing, Angelique?"

"Anything for you, my Prince."

"Never bow to me again. You are to be my future queen, to stand and rule by my side as an equal. Do you understand?"

"A commoner will never be allowed to sit as Queen upon Seatopia's throne," she murmured sadly.

"But you are anything but common to me, my beautiful Angelique," he proclaimed as they shared another kiss.

_Discovery_

The cold wind blew hard and snow almost blinded the five men as they scaled the great peak on Iwato Island but slowly, they struggled up the side of the rocky fortress. With each peck at the ice-covered stone with their picks, the Russian expedition came one step closer to its destination.

Atop a plateau, they finally reached solid ground where they could make camp. They took off their heavy packs and knelt in deep snow to line out supplies and put up tents. It was tiresome work which often seemed futile against the thunderous winds that threatened to blow their meager shelters over, if not destroy them. In the midst of their struggles, one team member noticed that the winds had blown the snow from a circular object that definitely was not rock. The explorer stood knee-deep in the drift and stared in wonder at what was half buried against the outstretched peak of the mountain.

He called to his companions who were struggling with the tents but they failed to hear so he yelled again. This time, they took note of his absence and the urgency in his voice, following the sound to where he was. Then they saw it and hurried toward the enormous object.

It was about a man's size in every direction and light gray in color with gray-blue spots covering the curved surface. The team leader wiped away the snow with his gloved hand. He felt it again and realized that something was wrong. It was warm! He looked at his comrades in wonderment and confusion. Removing his goggles, the mountaineer peered further at the uncanny object, amazed to find it here.

Over the course of several hours, the team completely uncovered the giant egg from its snowy nest and built a tent around it with a heating unit. A helicopter was called to fly them and their discovery back to the mother country where the egg could be put in an incubator and properly studied and examined. This was no ordinary find, even for a dinosaur egg. Kenji Kamaiya, one of the top kaijuologists even at his young age of 37, was contacted and flown to Moscow where the egg would be kept.

Over the next few weeks, Doctor Kamaiya and his staff would learn all they could about this wonderful discovery. On day seventeen, the not-so unexpected happened. As he was sitting at his desk, there was a sudden cracking noise. For a second, he thought one of the pottery vases that decorated the main entrance to his office had fallen and broken. He turned around quickly but they were all intact. As he looked about the room in confusion, one of his assistants came in to make sure all was well.

"I heard something break..." said the researcher.

"As did I," replied the professor, taking off his glasses as he stood to better search the room. Panning across the lab and over to the incubator, he noticed a crack along the side of the egg and a smile came to his face. It's time he thought. The two scientists walked cautiously toward the metal and glass container and peered inside. Another small crack suddenly appeared, then another and the egg began to shake. Kamaiya went to the computers which had been hooked up to monitor the egg and glanced at all the readings. Indeed, it was time.

The egg shook again as a much larger crack broke across the top and ran downward in all directions. Kenji turned to watch, his assistant stepping backwards several paces. With each passing second, the shell became more fractured as the egg violently shook. Then it stopped. Kamaiya looked at his associate and then the egg. He was certain it was time for the hatching.

"What happened, Doctor? Why did it stop?"

"I don't know. Perhaps this was only one of several phases the egg goes through as it hatches. Many animals take hours to hatch. This one may not hatch until tomorrow." They both walked up to the incubator and peered inside, examining the various cracks that now dotted the once solid-looking shell. "I want video cameras for around-the-clock observation from all angles. The ones in the corners of the room aren't sufficient. I need to have more sophisticated equipment up here! Also, have the video feedback patched through to my lap top. I want to keep a constant eye on our egg." The assistant ran off to do his bidding.

The steel and glass walls of the incubator were removed and a soft blue spongy material laid around the egg. When the creature hatched, several additional video cameras would record every second of the historic event. Each was positioned seven feet from one another and surrounded it. This was a very exciting day for science as only one kaiju had ever been born in captivity before, although several such births had been witnessed in the wild. In 1967 on Sollgel Island, a baby Godzillasaurus hatched from an enormous egg that had been buried under a mound of rock and dirt. It had slowly grown from a small herbivorous dinosaur into a 40-meter tall kaiju, now much more closely resembling its adopted father, Godzilla. Though relocated to Monsterland, the world's foremost facility of kaiju observation, study and captivity, Godzilla Junior was never raised by humans, much less contained.

In addition, baby Rodans had been observed in the past by eyewitnesses, as well as the hatching of Mothra larvae and Barugon. However, none of these had been scientifically studied. This new egg gave scientists and kaijuologists alike the rare opportunity to see and observe the hatching of a kaiju in a controlled environment.

Doctor Kamaiya was thrilled and could barely contain his excitement. Several of his Russian assistants and staff, as well as his own apprentice, an Irish-American named Cillian Bakker, were busying themselves with last-minute checks. Kenji just stood staring at the cracked egg in the middle of the brightly lit laboratory with a large grin on his face, allowing everyone else to do all the work. Cillian walked up to him with a form to sign.

"Doctor Kamaiya?" Bakker spoke but Kenji paid no attention, not out of rudeness but because he was practically oblivious to anything around him. "Doctor Kamaiya!" Bakker yelled over the background noise. His mentor stuttered with a start and spun around.

"Don't yell! You almost gave me a heart attack! Couldn't you see I was busy?" Cillian looked about him, at the egg and back at his professor, grinning.

"Ah, well, no -"

"Don't interrupt. I'm thinking!"

"Sorry, sir."

"Now, what is it, Cillian?" Actually, the boy seemed to be the one who was slacking. Kamaiya eyed him from head to toe as if he had never seen him before. Cillian Bakker was a tall young man of 22, with short brown hair, green eyes, the occasional silver glasses and dressed in a long white lab coat. Truly a brilliant person who had been fascinated with kaiju in history books, television programs and Hollywood rip-offs as a boy. Still awestruck, he went on to college to take up kaijuology and ended up a straight A student, thus being privileged to go into the field alongside one of the world's top kaijuologists.

To say he failed to share his professor's enthusiasm about the egg would be as far from the truth as saying Einstein's Theory of Relativity was a sleeping pill. Cillian realized that much work had to be accomplished in order to insure everything went well with the hatching before he could stop and enjoy his surroundings.

"These are the forms you requested, sir. I need your signature on them before sending them off to Ogasawara."

"Oh, yes. Of course." The good doctor took the clipboard and quickly scribbled his name. After handing it back, Kenji resumed peering at the cracked egg shell.

Two hours later, after further tests had been completed, the egg began to break apart. Everyone huddled around it about twenty feet away, close while still trying not to be too near. Their feet dug into the floor and legs stiffened as they tried to keep from getting any closer while at the same time, their eyes, filled with excitement, pulled their heads and torsos further toward the cracked shell, restrained only by their determined feet. Surely, their heads would have popped off had they not been attached so well to their bodies. But as awestruck as they were, the moment was soon upon them.

The pre-formed cracks started to widen and split as new ones appeared all over the shell. The egg began to shake back and forth with a loud crackling noise. Yoke bubbled forth from the top where the largest opening had formed. Slowly, it turned to a slight oozing as the crack widened and split further down one side. When it stopped, everyone fell silent when the egg didn't budge. The scientists looked on for a few seconds but when nothing happened, they turned to one another in confusion. Cillian felt a sick feeling in his stomach as he hoped that the infant had not died. Doctor Kamaiya, standing beside him, wet his lips with anticipation as his hands began to sweat.

Suddenly, the side of the egg burst open with tremendous and unexpected force. The loud cracking sound took everyone by surprise as yoke and eggshell splattered across the room and onto the cameras, computers and scientists. Rolling out of the egg in a spiky ball, the quadruped baby kaiju fell onto the blue spongy matting and unraveled itself. Everyone gasped in astonishment. Just a few feet away was a baby kaiju, almost directly in front of Kamaiya and his student. The creature squirmed into the foam padding, waving its huge slime-covered feet in the air and opened its giant brown eyes. Doctors, professors and scientists alike uttered low exclamations of awe. Kenji's eyes were so big it was a wonder they didn't pop out of his head but despite his unnerved state, he managed to pull a pair of plastic gloves over his hands. He stepped forward when suddenly, the creature let out a loud cry. He quickly jumped back.

"It's an Anguirusaurus!" whispered Cillian. Everyone gasped again. Kenji took a few steps forward until he was within arm's reach of the creature.

"That's it, nice boy," he said softly. The baby Anguirus allowed him to come nearer. The doctor squatted next to the Ankylosaurus-like animal and slowly put his hand on its foreleg which was raised in the air. He ran his palm along the thick, rough hide and nearly cried with joy and pleasure. But he did not and approached the matter from a scientific point of view, restraining his emotions which already ran high. Carefully, Kenji removed the slimy yellow gunk as he stroked the leg. If anything, the little Anguirus seemed to enjoy the attention but the scientists weren't fooled. This was a wild animal and a kaiju, at that. As cute and harmless as it seemed, they knew full well that if this infant had been born with the ability to walk and the will to destroy, it could easily kill them all.

But this was not the case so they were able to release some of the stress and tension that had built up. Slowly, the staff started to ease in toward the hatchling as its eyes moved back and forth, looking at each individual as they made their way closer.

The news spread around the world like wildfire with nearly every channel covering the hatching of the baby Anguirus. A press conference was held and media people surrounded the small podium behind which Doctor Kenji Kamaiya stood. Lights flashed continuously as photographers took pictures. Other journalists held tape recorders to catch every word while others jotted information on note pads. Doctor Kamaiya nervously spoke into the bouquet of microphones stretching out in front of him.

"The egg was found by a Japanese-Russian sponsored survey team on Iwato Island. As you all know, it recently hatched a baby Anguirusaurus which is being contained at a special facility in Moscow where it will be studied and cared for until it is transported to Monsterland in the Ogasawara Island chain.

"It is theorized that this egg belonged to the original Anguirus discovered on Iwato Island fifty years ago. That Anguirus, the remains of which have been identified as female, may well have been the mother and the one that was recently killed, the father. We suspect that the original Anguirus was in fact defending its territory and nest from the second Godzilla which it was found in battle with. Therefore, we can estimate the baby's adult size, space requirements, behavior and destructiveness based on data collected regarding its parents."

_Inter-planetary Relations_

The Hall of Discussion stood against the blackness of space as the giant swirling globe of Jupiter slowly passed behind it. Constructed in 1990 on Ganymede, one of Jupiter's sixteen moons, it was where initial peace talks with Planet X had taken place.

The first Earth representative was Ambassador Glenn whose twelve-foot statue gleamed in front of the building's main entrance. However, he had since died and been replaced by Yun Rees. Dressed in his finest suit and tie, he walked along the brightly-lit passageway into the great building. He was a thin man - almost gangly looking at 5'-9" tall with light brown hair and eyes. With briefcase in hand and several assistants, Rees headed nervously toward the Council of Peace. He was always uneasy about meeting with the Xians as he did not take well to the idea of extraterrestrial life to begin with. Now, there was no turning back as the eight-foot sliding doors opened before him.

The room was large and wide, brightly lit and painted white with few decorations anywhere. In its center stood a large round table with seats all around. To one side, across from the entrance, hung a large blue and white flag. Below, a picture of the solar system was surrounded by a wreath of laurels and the words United Planets.

Rees noted that the Xians had already arrived and taken their seats underneath the banner so he extended his own chair, put his briefcase atop the table and opened it. He pulled out several papers which he was about to read aloud. As custom was for the Council of Peace, each ambassador would open the meeting with reports from their home world. These usually consisted of the social, economic and political details which were relevant to their planetary neighbors. Ken'trus raised his hand to signal the Ambassador to not bother giving his report.

"Oh?" Rees asked as he put his papers aside.

"We have far more crucial news to speak of than our reports. Our intelligence has discovered a most unfortunate scheme against you. Our spies have recovered evidence of suspicious activity on the planet Kilaak."

"Kilaak?" the Ambassador asked worriedly. "How can that be? The Kilaaks were destroyed several years ago..."

"So it seemed. You Earthlings have the horrible habit of assuming that an entire race is eliminated after you have stopped an invasion force. The Kilaaks that attacked you in the year 1999 - according to your Earth calendar - were merely a small garrison, nothing more. Sources indicate that they are now at work preparing for a new invasion."

"What?" Rees' mouth hung open as he stood in surprise.

"The Kilaaks are a cold-hearted race, Ambassador, and have no regard for human life. They are a selfish race that will destroy anyone they see fit. They are harsh creatures, not to be trusted nor reasoned with. Thanks to the resourcefulness of your people, you were able to drive them away but do not think that will forever hold them back. We have proof of a Kilaak invasion army readying for attack at any moment. Though your people are clever, I would not put my faith in your scientists and politicians to save you this time. I also would not trust the Nebulans either. Their alliances with the ancient kingdoms of your planet seem all too suspicious. You are in need of real friends, real allies, whom you can depend upon to help you. We fear for your lives, Ambassador." Yun Rees blinked. He didn't know quite what to say. So much dire news, all so suddenly!

"Well, uh, that's certainly not good news. I will have to notify the United Nations about this immediately." He staggered to his feet and hastily put the Earth's report into his briefcase and closed it. "Thank you for the information... Er... I should go contact Earth." Rees quickly walked out the door.

"Yes, you should do that," said Ken'trus, almost to himself. He gave the Xian hand sign to the rapidly departing Ambassador and smiled. After Rees and his party had left, he chuckled to himself. A Xian who had been standing in the shadows in the corner of the room walked up to him.

"The virus to cancel out the control device was successfully introduced into the Skyllan DNA. What happened in Tokyo after Godzilla's defeat was only the beginning. It won't be long before Monster Zero turns against the Kilaaks altogether," the operative reported.

"Excellent. We will begin readying our invasion immediately. Our discovery of light-speed travel will greatly assist us in our mission." Ken'trus stood up from his chair and turned around. Walking over to the United Planets flag, he lit a small flame with a hand-held device. The banner began to burn upward, slowly at first but faster as the fire spread from the bottom corners.

"We won't be needing that anymore," the Xian smirked as he prepareded to leave the now-redundant building.

When Ken'trus returned to Planet X, he threw his feet up on the desk and leaned back in his chair, ready to review the electronic schedule. Whether he was scanning through the daily reports or admiring himself in its reflection was not entirely clear. What was more important was that his ultimate weapon, Project X, was coming along very well and that pleased him greatly. As usual, the room in which he sat was dark, cold and mostly empty. It was lit by luminaries around the wall that were set on LOW and the starlight coming through the large window looking out into space. The doors slid open to reveal the presence of a Xian sub-commander.

"The Controller."

"Yes, I am. What of it?" replied Ken'trus. The officer looked at his superior, baffled for a moment before correcting him.

"You mistake me, sir. I meant the Controller." Ken'trus looked up and saw Sar'rious, the Controller of Planet X. He stood in the doorway, tall, bald and wearing the uniform of a superior with blue lining his robe and black metal on his shoulder and chest plates.

"You take your temporary title too seriously, Ken'trus," spoke the wise Xian. The Controller walked over to the desk as the sub-commander departed, the doors closing behind him. "I leave you in charge for one day and already you forge the vanguard of an invasion force against Earth."

"Sir, in order to conquer the Earth, we must attack with full power! There are several other species wanting to take over the planet and we must be prepared," stated his second-in-command as he rose from Sar'rious' seat.

"You feel that power is the only way to victory. Have I not taught you anything? History has shown time and again that those who rule only with might and live by it will be undone because of it."

"We are one of the strongest races in the galaxy and our power is matched by few. However, it is strategy that will win us this war which is certain to ensue. Power is an addition, nothing more." Ken'trus looked away in disappointment for he knew his thinking was correct. The Xians had the resources and by all means, they should use them! He was certain that they could wipe out their enemies in one swift stroke. "But nonetheless, we need all the resources we can acquire. I was merely ensuring our supply," he smiled at his superior.

"By putting the entire fleet on standby? And what is this 'Project X' you have been constructing behind my back? I just read a public schedule that a 'Project X' was nearing completion. Would you care to explain it to me?"

"Project X is our new bio-weapon. We have stolen Monster Zero DNA from the Kilaaks and begun creating our own. It will be completely controllable. No Earth invention will thwart our plans this time."

"You are creating a Skyllan?" The Controller walked over to the large window and looked out at the stars. He did not like the idea of trying to control another Monster Zero. They were too unpredictable and could easily fall into enemy hands. As well, they were one of the most dangerous creatures ever to appear in the solar system. But to create one here... He would never have agreed to such an idea.

Sar'rious knew that was exactly why Ken'trus had waited until he had left the planet. He should put a stop to the project now but it was too far along to be discontinued. There was no way the Controller could justify the massive waste of resources.

"Very well. You may have your Monster Zero. But if anything should go astray, I am holding you fully responsible. Is that understood? I will not have any more monsters lost to the ingenuity of the humans." Ken'trus smiled but smirked inwardly as he stepped closer to the Controller.

"Sir, the only reason we lost forty years ago was because of internal sabotage. If it weren't for Namikawa and her emotions -"

"Namikawa was a great warrior and citizen of Planet X. I will not stand for anyone to speak otherwise about her! She was deceived by those worthless cattle, nothing more!"

"That may have been before my time, sir, but I know what she was and so do you. If I didn't know better, I would think that your defense of her has an emotional element to it." Sar'rious sighed.

"She was the most desirable of the clones. I won't deny it. Her unique personality would have given much to our civilization."

"If you consider anarchy a positive thing," Ken'trus replied sarcastically. "I still think that old rumor about you and Namikawa is interesting. Were you really planning on overthrowing the Controller after Earth had been conquered to set up a perfect society and rule over it as King and Queen?"

"You talk too much."

"Tell me... Was that before or after you lost your hair?" Sar'rious turned around in a blaze of anger and grabbed Ken'trus by the neck.

"If you ever question my right as Controller again, I will see to it that you suffer as never before." His grip tightened around the cocky Xian's throat but Ken'trus just smiled.

"You realize that I can overpower you in an instant. Do you forget that I am a Kaiser?"

"And do you forget that I am the one who taught you everything you know? Don't ever forget that I am Number One and you..." Ken'trus frowned down at his superior and sighed.

"Are you trying to rule with power, Sar'rious?" The Controller's face changed from anger to irritation and disgust. He let go of his second-in-command who stepped back. After taking a deep breath, Ken'trus started laughing quietly to himself as if this moment signified his triumph. The Controller, no longer wishing to speak, turned toward the window and lost himself in thought. Number Two, having regained his breath, stomped out of the office and went to check on his ultimate plan.

_Gudis_

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" a computerized voice blared over the loudspeakers throughout the secret base at the foot of Mount Tokachi in Hokkaido. A security detail of fully-armed Simeons spread out in search of who or what might have managed to infiltrate their hidden lair. As two of the soldiers turned a corner, they spotted their quarry and opened fire. The black-clad trespasser looked human but with sudden and unexpected speed and agility, he dodged their laser fire and was on top of them a split second later. One Simeon's neck was quickly broken and the other got a hole punched clean through him. As the assailant turned around, he received blaster fire to his face and chest from six more Simeons who had arrived on the gruesome scene. When they advanced, the infiltrator suddenly sprang up and charged them head on.

"What? Fire! Fire!" a Simeon yelled in surprise as they tried to put the invader down once more. Only inches separated them when their quarry finally was stopped for good.

"The first blasts should have killed him. How did he get back up?" another ape asked, looking down at the body with so many holes there seemed to only be inches of it not damaged in some way.

"It would be interesting to know how he did this," Argon, the Chief of Security pondered aloud, looking at the hole punched through one of his guards.

"Chief! Over here!" another of his detail called. The infiltrator was still alive! Argon grabbed him by the front of his shirt to get some answers. The Simeons' second-in-command behind Mugar was tough as nails and knew how to get about any job done.

"Hey, you. You are still alive. Can you hear me?"

"...Yes," he whispered with a gasp.

"You no longer have a left shoulder, half your face is blown off and you have literally been skewered by laser fire. So explain to me who you are, what you are and why you are still alive." The badly mangled humanoid's only response was a laugh that started out human and then changed to something that sounded almost demonic.

"What are you?" Argon roared, shaking him violently.

"I am eternal... I am immortal... I am that which cannot be stopped," it said in an eerie tone.

"You speak in riddles. Are you going to tell us anything we actually want to know?"

"I am death! That is all you need to know, worm!" it scowled as angrily as the remains of its face would permit.

"Care to elaborate before I blow the rest of your head off, Mister Scary Voice?" The Chief was not amused, nor afraid of the ominous situation he appeared to find himself in.

"I will sweep over this planet like a plague of locusts. Dead bodies floating in rivers of blood is all that will be left in my wake. You, the humans or any other race that gets in my way, it matters not. Earth's greatest protector is gone and the planet shall be mine now."

"Protector? You are referring to Godzilla, are you not?"

"Nothing can stop me now. None of you possess the power."

"I am asking you one last time, hamburger face. WHO ARE YOU?"

"I... am GUDIS!" Everyone aside from the Chief had looks of utter horror on their faces. "Become a part of the genetic chain of the most powerful being in the universe or die at my feet. Either way, I win! The universe shall learn to live with me... or perish. When I am finished, you will all beg for- " Gudis suddenly began to cough and wheeze in mid-sentence. "I'm... sorry. I try to keep the scary, hissy voice thing going but it's really hard on the vocal chords." He finished in a deep booming tone, minus the scratchy rasping as the Chief cocked an eyebrow.

"Where was I? Oh, yeah. Killing you all and such and such. Okay, Magilla, listen up 'cuz I don't plan on repeating myself. I shall devour this world and all of you are going to die, horribly, painfully and with as much suffering as I can muster. Ah, such sweet, sweet misery! 'Tis what I live for... and what you will all die for!" he finished in an ominous tone as the pupils in his eyes disappeared in a sea of glowing red.

"By the gods..." one of the Simeons muttered.

"I AM God," Gudis replied with an evil grin. A moment later, the body no longer had a head as Argon made good on his threat.

"I need to see the Commander," Argon grunted.

"Why? You just killed that thing. What does it matter?" a rookie soldier named Bordu asked. The Security Chief looked at him with a glare that made him gulp nervously as Argon slowly walked toward him.

"That thing is one of the most terrible forces of destruction in all the known universes. What I just killed was a useless human drone, one of probably thousands it possesses to speak through. That thing feeds on hatred, fear and misery. It thrives on war, bloodshed and death. It has sucked entire planets dry and wiped whole galaxies clean of life. That... is why it matters," he explained sternly. The Chief had made his point and left the young rookie shaking in his boots.

After Chief Argon finished speaking with Commander Mugar, he exited the office and found Private Bordu anxiously waiting outside.

"Well?"

"Well what?" The veteran was somewhat surprised to find the young Simeon so expectantly watching his section chief.

"What are the Commander's orders?"

"To wait for further orders," Argon automatically replied with the standard military brush-off.

"What?" Argon was surprised, yet beginning to get a bit annoyed with Bordu's persistence.

"You heard me, rookie."

"But if this Gudis thing is as dangerous as you say it is, then shouldn't we do something about it?"

"The Commander needs time to plan our next move," he sighed. "The arrival of the Gudis has changed everything."

"Time? Time for what? That thing to march in here and kill us all?" The Private was clearly verging on insubordination with his many questions.

"No! Plans must be made to somehow deal with the Gudis. Patience is a virtue." Argon hoped his last remark would put an end to the conversation.

"Is cowardice supposed to be a virtue as well?" the rookie hissed, his voice dripping with venom. A stiff, solid backhand punctuated the Chief's response.

"The Commander may be many things but a coward is not one of them, boy! DO YOU UNDERSTAND!" Argon roared angrily.

"Y-yes, sir," Bordu muttered.

"Gudis isn't the kind of thing that you take lightly. Nor do you rush off to fight it half-cocked without a plan of action. Come with me."

"Where?"

"Just do as I say, Private! That's an order!" the Chief growled, reminding the youngster very quickly of his status and who his commanding officer was. He marched toward his own office where he punched something up on the computer console.

"Time for a history lesson, rookie. The Gudis has existed for countless eons, moving through the wide expanse of the universe, literally pillaging, if you will, seemingly endless planets and solar systems of their life and energy.

"The first race of beings to dare stand against it were the Ultras from Nebula M78. They were a peaceful race before the arrival of the Gudis. For centuries, a war raged between them that crossed one galaxy after another as the Ultras were bound and determined to destroy Gudis for the sake of all innocent life in the universe as well as their own kind.

"During one of the many battles that were waged, Gudis fled through a particular solar system, trying to evade an army of no less than a hundred Ultras. It was weak and in dire need of sustenance so it fed off a small star to rejuvenate itself. When it had finished, it moved on and the star collapsed in on itself, creating a black hole."

"But what does that have to do with -" Bordu stopped in mid-sentence as the realization hit him. Argon turned the screen around, showing the coordinates of the location. Bordu suddenly felt nauseous when his suspicion as to what his superior might be leading up to was confirmed. "No, no! It can't be..."

"But it is, soldier." The Private's jaw dropped as he fell to his knees in disbelief. "The arrival of Gudis was the death knell of our civilization as we knew it," Argon assured him, his voice softer than Bordu thought was possible from the burly officer.

"Wh-why has nothing ever been done? Why haven't we sought vengeance?" the young Simeon scowled.

"Because, at the time, saving our race and our very way of life was the top priority. Also, because only select military personnel in high-ranking positions know the truth. And until now, we thought the Gudis was dead, destroyed by Ultraman Great in Australia in the year 1990. Obviously, that is not the case. But this time, we will find a way," the Chief assured him. "And you will tell no one about what we have discussed here. Do you understand, boy?" Argon glared at him.

"Ye-yes, sir."

Later, eleven Simeons were in the mess hall, enjoying the first full meal they had had in nearly two days. In preparation for their attempt at conquering the Earth, creature comforts and even the most basic of needs were often sacrificed in the name of duty and a very tight schedule. They were quietly conversing and eating until the young rookie, Bordu, posed a question.

"Why are we doing this?" The others seated around him were somewhat startled by his unusual query.

"What do you mean?" one of them asked.

"I mean, why are we trying to take over the Earth again after having failed in the past?"

"Because we have been ordered to by Commander Mugar, we no longer have a world to go back to and because we have no other options," a Simeon called Nargas explained with much venom in his voice.

"And what is going to make this time any different?"

"No Godzilla," a third grinned.

"Yeah, no Godzilla," Bordu proclaimed sarcastically. "Instead, we have other monsters and other alien races to deal with now. Not to mention the Gudis." He wanted to blurt out what the Security Chief had told him so badly it hurt but he had made a promise and he intended to keep it.

"The Commander and our superiors have everything well in hand, I am sure," another added.

"How, may I ask? As it already has been said, we no longer have a homeworld to go back to which means no back-up personnel, resources or supplies, a luxury that the other races we are going to be dealing with have in spades."

"You talk an awful lot for a rookie. Maybe you should just keep your mouth shut and follow orders," one more ape chimed in.

"Why? Am I the only one who thinks this is suicide?"

"I think that you are starting to get on our nerves!" Nargas declared, even more irritated.

"I am just trying to make sense of all this. We are here because we are looking for a new home, right? We have tried force and been beaten twice, right? And now, the humans are also facing a terrible dilemma because of the Gudis and the possibility of a mass invasion, correct?"

"Just what is it that you are getting at, boy?" one of the other apes growled ominously.

"Well, as crazy as it sounds, has anyone ever considered... trying to make peace with the humans?" Bordu asked nervously. Everyone at the table abruptly stopped eating and looked directly at the young soldier in utter shock. It was as if he had lobsters crawling out of his ears. "Just hear me out! If we make peace with the humans, they may let us settle what remain of our people here. We can offer help and assistance to them against the threats they now face. We may believe the humans to be inferior but weak they certainly are not. Just look at what their race has weathered in the past!" As Bordu continued speaking, the looks of shock on his comrades' faces were quickly being replaced by menacing anger. "I know I sound crazy to all of you but I really think this could work."

"You are crazy, boy! The humans have been and always will be our sworn enemies. And more importantly, you're talking treason! If word of what you're suggesting gets back to the Commander, he'll have you shot!"

"Has anyone tried to reason with the Commander? Doesn't anyone else see the possible benefits of this?"

"I think if you know what is good for you, you will drop this entire insane idea of yours before it gets you killed."

"So we just barge in and try the same old pathetic plans all over again? If we are supposed to be such an advanced race, why don't we prove it by using our heads rather than our weapons?"

"I think we've heard just about enough out of you!" Nargas yelled, getting up from his chair.

"What are we, a bunch of murdering pirates? We used to be peaceful! We used to be explorers! What has happened to us?" Bordu begged of his comrades-in-arms.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, boy! Now shut up before we shut you up!"

"Perhaps if we had simply tried to make peaceful contact in the past, we wouldn't be in this predicament now," Bordu stated bluntly.

"Are you questioning the orders and logic of our Commander?"

"Maybe I am." A stunned silence followed his statement but it did not last long.

"DIE, TRAITOR!" Nargas roared as he drew his pistol and fired. The rookie dove under the table and yanked Nargas' legs out from under him. The Simeon dropped his blaster and the others scattered out of the way as the fight ensued.

"What are you, crazy? I don't want to fight you! We are Simeon brothers!"

"A spineless worm like you is no brother to me!" Nargas snarled as he pulled out a jagged, serrated dagger and lunged at Bordu who drew his own knife to defend himself. The enraged ape made several swipes as his target dodged and parried. Nargas managed to disarm Bordu with a slash to his right hand as he tackled him, trying to force his knife into Bordu's throat. He was slightly bigger and stronger and soon began to overpower the rookie as his dagger inched dangerously close to a jugular vein.

"Maybe I should thank you, boy. When I tell the Commander that I slit the throat of a worthless traitor, perhaps he'll promote me," Nargas grinned viciously. Suddenly, a laser bolt illuminated the room, getting everyone's attention. They looked over to see Security Chief Argon standing in the door, holding a rifle in his hands.

"Is there a problem here, my fellow apes?" he growled. Immediately, every Simeon in the room snapped to attention and lined up next to one another, including Nargas and Bordu. "Does anyone have anything to say?" Argon asked, looking from one ape to the next.

"Permission to speak, sir?" Nargas asked.

"By all means."

"Rookie Private Bordu spoke of treason, sir, so I took it upon myself to remedy the situation."

"Indeed. Is this true, boy?" Argon asked, turning to the accused.

"Only in the opinion of some, sir."

"And what exactly did you say?"

"I spoke of a possible alliance between us and the humans to help us relocate here on Earth and face the threat of the Gudis and anything else that comes along. We are few in number and no longer possess the power and resources we once did, sir."

"I see... The rest of you will finish your meal and then return to work immediately. As for you, Bordu, you will come with me. I will deal with you personally. Is that understood?"

"Sir! Yes sir!" all the Simeons shouted loudly in unison. Argon stared long and hard at Bordu before he spoke again.

"Come with me, rookie." Bordu followed without question, trying to be strong but he was terrified. A few moments later, they were in the Chief's office. Bordu gulped nervously as Argon focused an intense stare at him.

"Well, rookie, I guess the question before us is a simple one. What do I do with you? According to our laws, what you have done is considered an act of treason and is punishable by death."

"W-with a-all due respect, sir..." Bordu stammered. "Those are Commander Mugar's laws. They were not created until he became Supreme Commander of all our forces. Before that time, a Simeon could speak freely without worry of repercussions, sir." Argon agreed that he was correct. "Sir, before you make your decision, can I at least request that you hear me out? I have already broken Simeon law in which case there can only be one result so what I say from this point on will change nothing, correct?"

"Very well then. Speak."

"We are but one of many races that will be vying for the Earth now that Godzilla has been defeated and with all due respect, sir, in my humble opinion, we are in no position to take on the challenges that lay before us."

"Your statements could be easily dismissed as cowardice, rookie."

"And when I was foolish enough to make the same assumption involving the Gudis, was it not you who set me straight, sir?" The Chief allowed himself a silent chuckle. The apeling had him there, he couldn't deny that. "Sir? Can you tell me that you have never disagreed with any of Commander Mugar's decisions? In light of our previous attempts to take the Earth and the results, can you say that it would not have been possible to approach the Earthlings peacefully with our dire situation if someone besides Commander Mugar had been in charge? And while on that subject, is peace really so impossible, sir? Sure, the humans may be brash, primitive and inferior but that does not mean we cannot co-exist. You don't have to like someone to be civil with them. Is that not true?

"Sir, aside from being a battle-hardened veteran, you are also wise beyond your years. If I were to ask you what you thought our chances were in this precarious situation, what would your answer be? Just between you and me, off the record. No laws, no regulations... no stubborn Simeon pride or delusions of grandeur... and no Commander Mugar breathing down your neck." Finally releasing a heavy sigh, Argon seemed to stare off into space as he thought over Bordu's words. They were up against a variety of other races far more prepared and better equipped than the Simeons were. They were also greatly outnumbered and would still be facing some of the most powerful kaiju in the universe. Then there was the Gudis, the ravager of their world and of their very way of life. He looked at Bordu who was nervously awaiting his commanding officer's response.

"Wise beyond my years, you said. Perhaps the same could be said of you... rookie," Argon replied with a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth and causing Bordu to respond likewise. "Very well. You will not be executed. I will find an alternate means of punishment at a later date. But for the sake of your own welfare, you had best keep your wild ideas to yourself around the other apes. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." Bordu was greatly relieved and finally exhaled.

"I will be honest with you, boy. I don't like the humans and don't suppose that I ever will but that doesn't mean that there is not logic in your words. You're very idealistic but history has not been kind to those Simeons who believed as you do."

"Yes, sir. And thank you."

"Come with me, rookie." The Chief led him out of the office and to an area that Bordu did not have security clearance to enter. He stopped abruptly and Argon took notice of this, turning around.

"It's all right. I grant you access to this part of the installation. Just follow me." They continued along until they came to a long corridor that led to a pair of double-reinforced doors. Argon moved toward a DNA scanner and placed his right hand inside.

"DNA confirmed. Welcome Security Chief Argon," a computerized voice said. As a second precautionary measure, a password was spoken. The doors opened and what Bordu saw literally took his breath away.

Before them were two monstrous forms. One was Mechagodzilla, now rebuilt and ready for action. The other was an even bigger shock. Next to the mech was Titanosaurus, only with cybernetic attachments on his body. Part of his face, right arm, left leg and chest had been altered to accommodate these new attributes. Bordu looked at them in awe, only able to guess what they might be capable of.

"We may be the underdogs but that doesn't mean we won't give our enemies a fight they won't soon forget, including Gudis," Argon stated proudly, looking up at their recently completed gladiators. The Simeon race would not go down without a fight. Bordu was mesmerized by the incredible behemoths standing before him.

"How is this possible, sir?"

"As you know, the elders of the once proud Simeon Homeworld Council were the most powerful and wealthy members of our race. They pooled their fabulous wealth together for the sole purpose of conquering the Earth. It took every cent they had. They bankrupted themselves by taking on this mission. When the last of our homeworlds was pulled into the black hole, they refused to leave, choosing to die with the planet they loved so much that they could not stand to be away from it. Thus, all their incredible wealth no longer served them any purpose. They gave it and their lives up with the hope that our kind could forge a new life somewhere else. What was spent on these two could easily build ten of the old Mechagodzilla."

"I see. Amazing! What can they do?"

"Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus both now have full shielding systems that they can activate instantly. It covers every square inch of their bodies and they can still fire all of their weapons, engage in hand-to-hand combat and move freely while it is activated. As a result, whenever they are in combat, they will be on. And that's just the beginning, kid. Mechagodzilla's missiles, aside from packing the same explosive power they always have, are now plasma based as well."

"Plasma based? That means they will burn through practically any substance imaginable!"

"Indeed. Especially the impaler missiles. Even a kaiju with regeneration will have a difficult time dealing with them."

"What else?" Bordu was sounding like a kid at Christmas time.

"It may interest you to know that both Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus have built-in gravitational nullifiers. The system creates an energy field around their bodies that negates the Earth's gravitational force on them by three-quarters of their body weight. As a result, their speed and agility are unmatched. Even natural kaiju sprinters and leapers like King Seesar and Baragon would be hard-pressed keeping up with them."

"Can it be engaged along with their other force field?"

"No. The two energy fields cancel each other out. The gravitational nullifier is a back-up in case something manages to breach their shields. If their defenses hold up, there will be no need for enhanced speed."

"What about Titanosaurus?"

"On his cyber-arm, there is a forearm cannon that acts like a cutting torch. In the side of his bionic leg is a rapid-fire six missile turret. His eyepiece has a photon discharger capable of firing a pure energy torpedo that splits apart into a cluster of five shots, covering a wide area. Also, Titanosaurus' cybernetic limbs have twice the strength of his flesh and blood counterparts. A punch or kick from those will pack even more of a wallop. And then, of course there is this..." Argon walked over to a control panel and remotely opened a compartment in Titanosaurus' chest, revealing a large dish of some kind. "This is a reflective repulser mirror. Any energy attack or beam that hits it will be absorbed and reflected back at five times its initial strength."

"They are fantastic!" Bordu exclaimed.

"Indeed they are. And if the opposing races and their kaiju want a piece of us, they're going to get it!" the Chief stated with grim determination.

"Unbelievable! It seems like we may actually have a chance now."

"I very much agree, rookie."

"It's a shame that it has to come to this. We weren't always enemies with the other races of the galaxy. If there were other planets out there like Earth that could sustain life, perhaps things would be different."

"Perhaps. But things are the way they are nonetheless."

"And if we do win, what then?"

"I assume you are referring to the humans. With the magnitude that this battle may reach with all the various aliens, warships, weaponry and kaiju that could be involved, the entire surface of the planet may be blasted clean of all life by just being in the crossfire. The humans may not survive. If there are any, the Commander will want them either enslaved or executed."

"Can you try talking to him? Reasoning with him?"

"For what? This peace you keep dreaming of? After two attempts to wipe them out, I don't think extending the olive branch now will do us much good, rookie. That, plus as you well know, the Commander utterly despises the humans with every fiber of his being. What you are wishing for seems to be nothing more than an optimistic pipe dream, I'm afraid." Bordu hung his head in a gesture of defeat so the Chief felt he had to say something more.

"You have a respect for sentient life, no matter what its form. That much is obvious and I can respect that. Listen. If it makes you feel any better, I won't put you on any kill missions. I figure that is the least I can do." After a long pause, Bordu finally lifted his head and thanked him. "I will escort you back to your work station so the other officers don't question your presence in this restricted area."

They departed the massive hangar and headed back down the long corridor together. Chief Argon briefly looked back over his shoulder. Everything rested on those two monstrous mechanized terrors. If they failed, the Simeon race would have no future.

"Sir?"

"Yes, private?"

"What are we doing here?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, what are we still doing HERE, underground. I doubt any other alien race has a ship as massive as this one or with the kind of firepower it has. What's stopping us fr-"

"From just charging in with guns blazing and obliterating everything that stands in our way?" Argon finished the young Simeon's question. "First of all, massive firepower or not, the fact is that the occupants of this vessel are the last of our race. There is no need to take unnecessary risks if we don't have to. We must preserve what remains of our people and our culture by any and all means possible. Yes, there was a time when we would have done exactly what you just said, back when we still had all of our homeworlds and our race was thriving. But that isn't the case anymore. Secondly, as you already know, Mugar has given strict orders for us to stand down and await further orders."

"But we've been down here waiting for YEARS! Just what is it that we're waiting for? And why?"

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that we follow orders. That's what good soldiers do, boy. They don't question their commanding officer's decisions. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Later, in the main control room of the base, Chief Argon reported to Mugar after making a security sweep. The Commander was standing with his arms crossed behind his back at the main console.

"Commander..." Argon addressed him, giving the forearm salute as he walked up. Mugar halfheartedly looked over his shoulder at him.

"Report," he finally ordered.

"Security sweep has been completed, sir. No signs of anything out of the ordinary."

"And what of our instruments of destruction?"

"Both Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus are armed, ready and fully operational, sir."

"Excellent. You may go, Argon." He started to leave but stopped for a moment. "Something else you have to say, Argon?" Mugar asked, knowing that he had paused without having to look at him.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted."

"Is it our mission to wipe out the remaining humans if we are victorious?"

"When we are victorious," Mugar corrected him sternly.

"Yes. Of course, sir."

"And as to your question, the answer is yes. The humans that survive will be completely annihilated," he said coldly. A long pause followed as Argon took a deep breath.

"Why, sir?" Mugar turned around and stared at him. The fact that Argon could not see whatever expression was on what remained of his face under the mask only made the moment all the more unnerving.

"What?" Mugar hissed as if the question had somehow insulted him.

"Sir, the humans are beneath our notice. They are useless insects to pay no mind who pose no threat to us. Godzilla had been the only reason that they ever won against us." Argon couldn't believe what he was saying. He was actually trying to argue that rookie Bordu's case but in a manner that he hoped would appeal to the Commander's cruel sense of logic.

"True, Argon, very true. But as insects, they will be crushed as such under our collective heel. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir. But what, for the sake of argument, if we were to take the surviving humans into custody... maybe to see if we can learn anything from them? Information that may help us to adapt to this world in a way we have not done before."

"And what could we hope to learn from any worthless human?"

"I... I don't know, sir. Perhaps they could be kept as pets?" The Chief realized how ridiculous that sounded as he tried to stifle a cringe.

"Argon? What has come over you? Why are you speaking in such a manner?" A long uncomfortable silence stretched for what seemed like an eternity. "This wouldn't happen to be... compassion, would it?" Mugar grumbled disapprovingly.

"... No, sir. Of course not, sir."

"Are you sure? Mercy is a delusion of the weak. Have you not learned that serving under me? I do not like the direction that this line of questioning is taking, Argon. I do not like it at all!" Mugar seethed, the anger and volume of his voice steadily rising as he spoke.

"It was merely a point of scientific conjecture, sir. I apologize profusely if I have somehow offended you. I also therefore withdraw the line of questioning," Argon added desperately, trying to salvage the verbal exchange that was dangerously close to escalating. The Commander stared at him for what seemed like an eternity as he carefully weighed the statements of his second-in-command. Argon tried hard to retain his composure, knowing Mugar could have him executed for whatever reason he saw fit, regardless of his rank.

"Apology... excepted, Argon. You are dismissed to resume your duties," Mugar said with a slightly calmer tone of voice. Argon waited until he had begun to walk away before releasing a deep sigh of relief. Mugar continued to stare after him until he had departed the control room. Something wasn't right and the Commander could feel it in his bones.


	4. Third Parties

_The Invasion of Tokyo_

At the Nebulan headquarters, Fumio was about to set another devious plan into motion. "Our seismic indicators show something moving underground that matches Megalon's form and size dimensions, Chairman. Shall we deploy our false fleet?" Kubota asked.

"Can crashed ships be traced back to us if they are salvaged?"

"No, Chairman. They departed from our flagship on the dark side of the Moon, hidden from any earthly scanning or monitoring devices."

"Then the order is given, Kubota. The attack should draw him out," Fumio figured.

In Akiruno on the western outskirts of Tokyo, people fled screaming in terror as a fleet of Natalan space craft swept in from the west, decimating buildings and people alike in short order. Their ray beams could super-freeze whatever they hit in seconds, causing the target to shatter like glass from the sudden and violent temperature change. The ships that now attacked were automated and possessed no pilots as this was merely a ploy to attract Megalon's attention. They were remnants of the original Natal invasion force that had been downed in 1959 and recovered by the Nebulans and rebuilt. Nearly 80,000 residents faced certain death but someone else had different plans in mind.

A group of about five ships were suddenly blown out of the sky as the rest veered off to locate the cause of the disruption. Megalon was flying right at them, blasting away with his horn beam. The fleet scattered as he tore through the formation, downing even more ships in the process. Several gave chase, firing their lasers at the Seatopian guardian but Megalon evaded them, pulling off a back-flip in mid-air that put him directly behind the once-trailing space craft. They would all have been obliterated by his beam had not two groups of ships flanked him with their freeze rays, hitting him from both sides. The beams partially froze his wings and he soon lost altitude.

Grounded, the Natalan ships dove in. What they didn't expect was for Megalon to start jumping up into the air and smashing them with his drills. He then unleashed a combination of his horn beam and napalm pods, picking the craft off left and right. Other ships that had kept their distance opened fire once more. Megalon's right arm was quickly frozen and encased in ice. A second later, his left leg was immobilized as well. More annoyed than anything, Megalon quickly remedied the situation as he forced his right arm drill to start spinning within its icy glove to shatter the ice and free it. He then slammed his left drill against the ice on his leg with similar results. As the Natalan ships came around for another pass and fired, Megalon ducked and rolled before burrowing underground and out of sight. The craft continued to search the area but there was no sign of him.

Having finally broken the ice off his wings, Megalon exploded forth from underground. He shot up into the sky directly at the fleet, firing his horn beam and explosive pods at the same time. Kamikazeed by several ships, Megalon plummeted out of the sky and came crashing down hard, cutting a swath of destruction through the heart of the city with his titanic frame, leveling buildings and killing many innocent people. As he groggily got up, he was hit with combined freeze beams from the flying automatons. Megalon crossed his arms in front in an attempt to shield himself from the blast but the ancient deity was quickly encased in a massive block of ice.

Within his cold and icy tomb, Megalon's horn began to glow a bright yellow that quickly turned to a burning red as the ice started to melt. Megalon could discharge a beam of powerful solar energy but he was allowing it to build within himself for the heat to intensify. In conjunction with this, he tried to rotate both of his drills as the ice encasing him slowly began to crack. Moments later, he exploded out of his prison and fell forward, plunging his drills deep into the ground to help his body sustain the tremendous force of the built-up energy within his horn. It blasted forth and clean through the Natalan swarm with an incredible explosion. Various craft erupted in a ball of fire that brought them crashing down in the distance. As Megalon rested from the use of his powerful attack having taken a toll on him, what remained of the Natal ships were abruptly mowed down by a fast-approaching Kilaak squadron which then zeroed in on him. Moving in behind them was the Kilaak warship HELLRAISER, watching over the proceedings.

The ships at the forefront shifted to Fire Dragon mode as Megalon tried to utilize his projectile weaponry but they shrugged off the assault, shielding the ones behind them to return fire. The closest ship attempted to gore through Megalon as he knocked it out the sky with a right drill swing. It spiraled out of control and crashed nearby. The undersea deity dodged another while a third whizzed by him, grazing his exoskeleton. Some of his armor plating was sheared off the right side of his torso. He managed to strike down a fourth before the rest of the armada descended upon him en masse, all opening fire at once as he took to the air to evade the attack. Several beams cut into his wings and back and he quickly realized that he was outnumbered and out-gunned when enough shots found their mark.

Megalon lost altitude and came down, rolling across the ground. He sprang back up just in time to see one of the vessels spearing toward his face. His left drill stopped it effectively, skewering it in the process. Megalon then spun around, hurling the still flaming saucer back toward its fast oncoming argosy. An explosive collision destroyed several craft and damaged others as the Kilaak forces were forced to scatter in all directions. The HELLRAISER then opened fire with its cannon as Megalon plunged into the earth, the beam tearing across the ground where he had been standing only moments before. By the time the remaining ships got their bearings, he was nowhere to be seen, having tunneled underground in retreat. Megalon would have to return to his citadel to rest and heal his injuries.

A few moments later, a transmission came in to the HELLRAISER. General Kulkan signaled for the monitor to be switched on and a somewhat disappointed Fumio Subo appeared onscreen.

"Did I ask for so much? All you had to do was kill Megalon. The plan was perfect since we softened him up for you... Tsk, tsk, tsk," Fumio sighed, shaking his head.

"If our ships could go underground, he would be dead right now," Kulkan explained.

"But yet he still lives. Perhaps I should have a talk with your King about your failure, hmmm?"

"Hold your tongue, Subo! This attack was at your insistence, not ours, and I can assure you that King Karkaru could honestly care less. He chose to humor you by assisting in this endeavor, nothing more."

"Hardly the proper attitude to possess for two races that are supposed to be working together... And was destroying the remaining automated ships really necessary? They could have proved useful in later offensives."

"You speak as if I should care about that," the Kilaak General snickered contemptuously.

"My orders were-"

"Your orders be damned, roach! I answer to King Karkaru, not you, Nebulan! Remember that!" Kulkan cut him off before abruptly closing the channel. He then contacted King Karkaru aboard the FLAMING FURY.

"Yes, General. What is your report?"

"The operation is over but Megalon managed to escape underground, my King."

"Worry not, Kulkan. The Seatopian's god is of no real concern to us."

"Please tell me, your majesty. Why do we continue to indulge the Nebulans? I cannot stand to even converse with them and do not know how you can lower yourself to do so. Godzilla is beaten and our forces are here on Earth. We do not need the Nebulans anymore. Why not just destroy them and be done with it?"

"Patience, General. A time will come for their destruction. Did you accomplish your real mission?"

"Yes, sir. The automated Natalan fleet has been destroyed."

"Good. When this alliance finally does come apart, I do not want the Nebulans to have one single edge to use against us. I do not trust them any more than they trust us and I am sure they already have their suspicions. Is their base still under audio surveillance?"

"Yes, my king."

"Good. Advise me the moment you learn anything of importance," Karkaru ordered.

_Mothra Virgo_

In the bleak blackness of the night, Belvera's lair was filled with cold darkness. She was in a deep slumber, attempting to relieve the stress she had been under recently. As sleep embraced her, she began to see images in her mind - of fires, destroyed buildings and screaming humans scurrying around in terror. The final one was of Infant Island, the once-beautiful landscape transformed into a blazing inferno.

It faded and she was back in the darkness she had previously been enveloped by. She could hear whispers of an unknown terror bouncing around in her mind, almost overwhelming her. Suddenly, she heard a single voice, a low, horrific, blood-chilling sound that caused her to tremble with fear.

"Belvera... stop this pretense!" the mysterious voice rumbled. The courageous fairy tried to block the vile sound from her mind but was unable to and had to endure its torment.

"We know of your weakness. Above all else, you desire power. Give in to your desires," the voice growled. "Your true destiny is not to protect those pathetic humans. You yourself said that humans were not to be trusted so stop allowing your pitiful sisters to contaminate your mind with goodness and purity."

Belvera twitched nervously, sweat forming on her brow as she continued to struggle against the creature conversing with her.

"Not only are humans to be distrusted but your sisters as well. And your goddess, Mothra. Resist them! Show them what power you really possess. Join the Gudis and we will defeat the humans and the Elias together. You will not regret it."

The voice diminished and Belvera woke up slowly. The dream was so vivid she could see and hear it over and over again. She considered Gudis' request and it tempted her so greatly that she could barely hold her stronger emotions back, the ones that had caused her to be so evil and treacherous before. Darkness took her and she could not bear the tremendous burden of her gluttony. Only her sisters and Mothra could save her now.

The diminutive women, Moll and Lora, sat and waited for the arrival of their sister at Infant Island. Lora puttered with the tiny flowers that populated the gardens beneath Mothra's shrine as she lacked patience and didn't want to just sit around and do nothing. Moll sat confidently upon her moth-like steed, Fairy, simply waiting.

"Where could she be?" Moll finally inquired. Mothra sat upon her stone pedestal nearby, allowing the gentle moonlight to shine down upon her through the opening in the cavern's ceiling. "Lora, we have to go find her. Come on!" she ordered as Fairy glided down to pick up the Fairy of Love. Lora climbed aboard and the priestesses took off, glancing back down at their goddess in awe. The beautiful hues on her body and wings seemed to cast a light up into the sky. Finally, they departed and headed for Belvera's lair.

When they reached the mysterious place their sister called home, they searched frantically but nothing physical was found, yet there was something present. The fairies could sense what had happened from some kind of telepathic aura remaining in the room that was easily detected by both women. Moll gasped in fear and anger. Evil lurked in the air and she knew that their civilizations' ancient enemy had returned and somehow targeted Belvera. Lora cringed and Moll clutched her hand, trying to reassure her with hope and confidence but those feelings seemed to diminish quickly.

Belvera had been taken by the Gudis and they could only hope that she would choose the pure and tranquil emotions in her mind. If not, not only would the Elias and Mothra be at risk but humanity would be facing its doom. They made their way back to Infant Island to seek solace in Mothra's temple and try to figure out a way to rectify the terrible situation with their sister but no ideas came. Even Moll's intuitive thinking could not bring any assurance.

Mothra Leo was surprised at what had happened and felt empty. Belvera's presence was no longer with her and one of her fairies might be lost forever. Lora sat against Mothra's stone shrine and wept for the sake of her sister but hope further dwindled as she gazed up at Mothra Leo. The divine insect had aged rapidly after using so much energy to produce her egg. Since then, it had decreased exponentially and now she was dying. Luckily, the egg was about to hatch as the Elias eyed it intently. It began to twitch slightly and soon, a crack formed on its surface.

She felt intense relief as it started to open. As her child was coming into the light of the world, she was leaving, darkness and feebleness overtaking her. The egg completely shattered, pieces of the shell strewn beneath the insect.

A large brown caterpillar sat underneath the wings of its mother, gazing at the weary goddess with gem-like eyes. The young deity had hatched just in time to witness her mother's final breath of life. Mothra Leo chirped feebly, proud of her daughter's powerful will to come into the world. She used what strength she had left and patted the worm's soft skin with her wing, assuring her daughter that she could indeed save the world from the evil that was rising. Finally, after a sad moment as the larva nudged its mother with its nose-like mandibles, Mothra Leo's eyes dimmed until no beautiful light shined within them. Her once-glamorous white feathery antennae drooped and withered. Mothra Leo, the savior of the Earth, had passed on, leaving her daughter and two fairies to confront the world on their own.

However, Mothra Leo didn't depart without aiding the world once more. Suddenly, her barren body began to glow. Energy particles floated from her and merged with the larva, giving it her powers to carry on the line of Mothras and defend the Earth from evil. Lora sobbed softly as she watched Mothra Leo's body diminish as her energy was bestowed in the larva. Moll was teary-eyed but didn't cry, trying to remain wise and logical.

"Do not weep, my sister. Look upon this new Mothra. She has the power of her mother. There is still hope left and we must believe in her," Moll murmured as her eyes became even more watery. The fairies held hands and kneeled in respect to their goddess.

"Mothra Virgo, the daughter of Mothra Leo, has entered the world and will protect its inhabitants from the forces of evil and malice. We also must do the same," both fairies said in unison as Mothra Virgo raised her head and screeched with all her divine might.

_Amalgamation_

"Sing... or I shoot the old man... again," the angry Nebulan operative snarled, his voice muffled with hatred and impatience. Princess Azumi rubbed her hand across her lips, wiping away the blood that seeped from the broken skin where she had been hit several times. She knew this day was coming but also realized that there was no way she could ever have prepared for it. The alien invasion had begun and it was too late to turn back the tide now. She thought that it was better to leave King Seesar, the protector of the Azumi Royal Family, hidden to keep him away from the hands of evil. Who could he protect if the Royal Family was dead?

"I lied!" The words were tested by the cracking of the bullet as it pumped through her shoulder. Parting blood speckled the alien's face.

"Could this be the taste of resistance? Sing or both of you die!" His dark eyes gazed upon the huddled Princess as she hugged her weeping shoulder. There was a terrible presence that resided within the alien's body, for it had been possessed by something truly evil with its own agenda. The Nebulans had spies all over Japan and the one in Okinawa had easily been taken control of.

Her shivering eye crept to her left where flashes of red and yellow melted together as she watched her grandfather struggling in a widening pool of his own blood. Her head bowed to the sand she kneeled in, the same ground that her ancestors stood upon, singing the prayer that would awaken their protector. With a cold bitterness, the words came out that would give life to King Seesar. The previous generation had endured an alien invasion and lived to tell the tale but it seemed that this time, the Azumi Royal Family would not be so fortunate.

"You finally realize you cannot oppose me. King Seesar will be ours!" A slight chuckle gave way to the dark tone that surrounded him in an even darker inhuman voice. Azumi's prayer was weak and soft but it would get to King Seesar. She could still end it and stop her god from being disgraced at the hands of evil.

A release of frustration and anger bonded into a grinding bellow that rang like a swinging bell across the island. A few hundred yards away from the holy grounds, a cloud of cherry mist matured into a horse-like form. Characterless eyes dismayed with life appeared as its over-extended outline ribbed and filled out with muscle. An over-sized banana-bent head hoisted between two flabby sails that wormed with unmoving winds. The forming creature found lakes of trauma as its four feet lodged into the riddled sands. Its network of lanky teeth parted, standing condensed against the mammoth, pasty tusks that roofed the sides of its opening mouth. It was the monster Barrangas, one of the Gudis' many aberrations of nature.

"Yes, Barrangas. Go my pet," the former Nebulan muttered softly. The last of the prayer was released from Azumi's quivering lips, her ears awaiting the sound of life that she had given. The rocky face of the lone mountain misplaced in the open field crumbled apart in a mist of stinging light. Draining the radiance away, it became a lofty silhouette that now rested where the hill once stood.

Shaggy ears drooped beside a square face. The top of its head was crowned with four emerald gems and a central one formed a small protruding horn. Under the crown, thick glossy ruby-laced eyes peered with the reflection of the sun. A broad mouth stacked with a mixture of sharp and flat teeth laid under the creature's large nose. A cape of shaggy pelts of orangish-brown fur draped over the being's neck, chest and shoulders. Underneath, reddish-brown scales dressed the monster's skin. Its arms were nearly bare of the swarming fur, only garbed with scales. The beast's hands were armed with three blade-like white claws. Its stomach was also bare of fur. Most of its bulk swayed on its muscular legs. A thin cord of springy flesh outlined the creature's tail, the end tufted with a swiping ball of fluffy fur. It was the guardian of Okinawa, King Seesar.

"Thank you, my dear, but I am afraid you are not needed anymore." The gun cracked with another piercing bullet, this time bounding into the skull of the young Princess. She gave no struggle as it was something she wanted since she was at fault for the disgrace of her god.

A rush of fury gritted through its over-sized teeth as its legs charged across the sacred land that it now dishonored. A butting skull creased into King Seesar's rocky abdomen as Barrangas slammed into the lion god. Anchoring feet bore the impacting force as Seesar stood his ground against the hammering monster. Snapping claws bent across Barrangas' craning skull, pointing into the creature's spongy black eyes, squeezing out the gooey gray matter that leaked from the pockets. Blinding fury forced the creature into a panicked spasm as its mouth snapped at anything and everything. Curving teeth slid through the lapping scales that made up the Okinawan guardian's right hand.

King Seesar heaved Barrangas off the ground, letting the creature loft into the air. His eyes dwelt on the creature's neck as his claws arced into the frail collar of the monster. Slipping flesh gave away as his sharp talons scissored through the monster's stretching neck. Lumping masses of blood flitted to the ground as Barrangas' headless body pulled away from the still-locked jaws.

The Nebulan silently looked on as King Seesar stared into the vacant eyes of the dead head that still held onto his hand. A hiss of voices fizzled from it as the flesh dissolved into a swarm of roaming green Gudis cells. King Seesar's ears straightened with surprise but it was already too late as the virus made its way through their openings. Soon, the voices were much louder.

"Yes, come to your new master," the Gudis whispered as he also spoke through the possessed Nebulan. A rising foot shadowed over the alien standing frozen in the sand. A sickening smile came across the drone's face before he was crushed underfoot.

At the Nebulans' secret underground bunker near Okinawa where Anguirus' corpse was being studied, something huge suddenly smashed its way inside, sending the staff fleeing for their lives. The massive Lion God, King Seesar, reached in, grabbed the body and slung it over his shoulder, backing out the way he had come. A frantic call was made to headquarters and Kubota soon joined Chairman Fumio in the central control room.

"We have just received word that King Seesar has taken Anguirus' body. Our agents are tracking the beast now, sir."

"Get me a visual immediately!" the Chairman ordered. A viewscreen flickered on, showing King Seesar moving across the countryside with his lifeless cargo in tow.

"Did the Okinawans awaken him?" Fumio asked.

"They must have but as to why and its reason for taking Anguirus' body is yet unknown," Kubota informed him as they watched King Seesar moving along at quite a rapid pace, despite the burden he was carrying.

"But that is impossible! Only a direct descendant of the Azumi Royal Family can awaken him, and that is only if his tomb is opened externally."

"I know. But nonetheless, it has happened," Kubota assured him.

"Sir," a subordinate reported. "We have finished the examinations of the Garogan crash site and the bodies there."

"And what did you find?" Kubota asked.

"A strange form of DNA, sir. Almost virus-like in structure. It was in the green ooze that covered the Garogan ships and traces of it were found on the crew members as well."

"Intriguing..." Fumio declared.

"There is more, sir. The DNA also gives off a radiation signature. It is the same as that coming from King Seesar."

"Run the scan through our database. See if it comes up with a match," the Chairman ordered. The technician did so and after a few moments, the strand appeared on the screen before them.

"Sho-should w-we call an emergency meeting, sir?" Kubota stuttered.

"Yes, immediately!"

"What do I tell everyone?"

"The only thing we can tell them, Kubota, is the truth. Gudis is here."

King Seesar traveled for miles with Anguirus' body until he reached his destination: the base of the Torishima volcano where Gudis lay within its crater, enveloped in magma as he consumed and absorbed vast amounts of energy to create a body for himself.

He had arrived on Earth in spore form and needed more energy to take on a physical form so he irradiated, killed and absorbed energy from the Garogan fleet to accomplish this. The resulting tiny slug-like form that was Gudis then made its way to the volcano. Sensing that Seesar had arrived, the Gudis decided that he had lain dormant long enough. With a mighty shriek, he lurched up from the sea of lava, smashing and blasting away at the inside of the crater until he breached the surface, exploding out of the side of the volcano with pools of magma pouring out around him.

Seesar took a few steps back, giving the monstrosity room as it slithered forward. Gudis had recreated the form he had 15 years ago when he faced Ultraman Great in Australia; the large bulbous head with red, glowing eyes, massive trunk and a sea of writhing tentacles. In this body, Gudis had tremendous power but needed more to face what awaited him. Through a subconscious command, he ordered King Seesar to put Anguirus' body down. In his head, a voice was heard.

"Very good, little one. You have served me well," the Gudis hissed in a dark demonic tone. He turned toward Anguirus, focusing intently as he projected a violet energy sphere around the body to pull it to him and shrink it down to be absorbed. He then turned and encased the entranced Seesar, pulling him in as well.

Within Gudis' body, violent changes took place and with one more terrible roar, an incredible shockwave of energy reeled off him, signifying a horrific transformation. When the smoke cleared, a new abomination stood where the Gudis' previous form was. It looked like a beefed-up version of King Seesar, only far larger and covered on the back, arms and legs with spikes similar to those on Anguirus' carapace. Swinging behind him was a huge tail that was a mixture of Anguirus' and his own.

The head of this new beast looked similar to Seesar's, only with reptilian skin and elongated jaws that resembled Anguirus' face. Protruding all around the torso were dozens of the Gudis' tentacles. It had Anguirus' nearly unbreakable carapace and from Seesar, his ability to absorb and channel laser energy attacks.

But Gudis had augmented these elements with his own DNA, making his armored body almost impenetrable and having Seesar's power to absorb and reflect any energy attack that struck him. It was a combination of all three of them in one.

"Now... I am ready. Alien... kaiju... human... or otherwise, it makes no difference. Let them come!" he said as he lifted his head to the sky with a chilling and earthshaking laugh. The landscape around him was engulfed in flames from the flowing lava, creating what would almost pass for Hell on Earth. Gudis was now prepared... for war.

_The Elias Triangle_

The room was dark and dusty, the only light peeking in through an opening in the ceiling, shining down on a platform that bore a triangular figure with Mothra's symbol engraved at the center. Moll had to check on something of grave importance. Now that Belvera was being controlled by the Gudis or persuaded to join it, she and Lora had to make sure that their sister didn't start meddling with the ancient powers harnessed within Infant Island itself.

One of the most potent and important of them all was the Elias Triangle. The diminutive fairies searched everywhere until Lora came across a case that fell to the floor from a high shelf.

"Moll, I think I found it!" she shouted. Her twin hurried over to peer at the mysterious box.

"We need a key. There is a keyhole on it. See if you can find it up there," Moll noted as she continued to examine it.

"I found it!" Lora yelled and pushed a key off the shelf. Moll tried it and the box sprang open, revealing a round platform in the center with two triangular pendants resting inside a circle. She noticed that a third was missing and instantly knew that Belvera had taken it. While searching through old legends and myths, she had discovered that she bore the power of 'wisdom', Lora the power of 'love' and Belvera, 'courage'. That made up the Elias Triangle.

"Lora, we are not in a very good situation. The Elias Triangle protects us from disaster. If she uses her talisman for the purpose of evil, then we are all in trouble!" Moll gasped as they picked up the remaining two.

"We have to stop her!" Lora cried.

"No, we won't be able to stop her. She is possessed by the Gudis. It is pretty much beyond our power but not beyond that of Mothra," Moll assured her with great wisdom.

"What shall we do?"

"We must aid Mothra in her growing process. I feel that we are going to need her protection soon. In fact, the whole world will need it. Great evil stirs both on Earth and in the cosmos," Moll declared. The fairies climbed onto the insect-steed, Fairy, and flew off into the night, fearful of what might come to pass.

_The Return of King Ghidorah_

King Ghidorah had returned to Earth and was quickly confronted by Japan's tanks, jets, howitzers and Type 66 Maser Cannons but the weapons proved even more useless against this new form of the cosmic menace. The triple-domed terror fired off his own array of weapons, ready to annihilate his attackers.

As a relic of the '50s was called into service against this new threat, Markalite GYROS appeared overhead, dropping cannons down. Ghidorah once again opened fire but did not expect his beams to be caught, absorbed and then shot back at him, amplified with such force that the blasts knocked him on his back. The Markalites could not process the gravity beams but the wing lightning proved most useful to them. Before he could get back up, long-range missile launchers fired their warheads to rain down upon the King of Terror. Angered by this, he rose back up with a combined assault of gravity beams and wing lightning that soon overwhelmed the Markalites. They exploded and melted into so much worthless scrap. More missiles detonated upon his body but the damage was negligible at best.

Amidst the barrage, a strange sensation suddenly came over the alien space dragon. The energy in the very air itself seemed to raise and curl what few hairs from his previous form remained on his massive necks. They stood on end as he sensed approaching danger. Instinctively, King Ghidorah brought his energy shield forth as the Nebulan satellite's ray struck him from high above. But this time, it did not penetrate his barrier as before. After healing from his previous injuries and consuming more Mana, he had grown stronger as did his shield which now deflected the powerful beam. The orbiting weapons platform continued firing in rapid succession but to no avail as the three-headed monster's defenses held. Soon, the danger of overheating forced the aliens to shut it down. Cackling wildly at his victory, King Ghidorah lifted off the ground, showering everything in sight with utter death and destruction as he sped through the sky, leaving the military forces that had dared challenge him in burning ruins below.

At G-FORCE headquarters which had orchestrated the brave effort to protect Yokohama, General Aso released a frustrated sigh.

Security alarms blared as a large squad of seemingly human intruders infiltrated a secret rocket base. The Nebulan guards tried to fend off the attackers as best they could but were greatly outnumbered. In no time, they were killed and the invaders stood before the rocket itself. Heavy moving equipment was brought into position, large enough to accommodate a kaiju. They cut through the ship's hull to the inner containment chamber, only to discover that Godzilla wasn't there.

"What the hell?" their leader cursed in confusion. He exhaled deeply before radioing his home base. "This is Chief Argon. Godzilla is not here. I repeat - Godzilla is not here. Send in the clean-up team to clear the bodies and remove any traces that we were ever here. Argon out." As he started to leave, the Simeon swore a number of obscenities before turning to look back at the rocket one last time. "Damn Nebulans..." he muttered.

They had installed a device that emitted nearly the exact radioactive signature that Godzilla's body would and left traces of his DNA to deceive any more sophisticated scanning systems. This rocket was simply a decoy.

About a mile or so away, someone else was watching what had transpired. Gudis eyed the proceedings suspiciously. Now that he was this close, he could sense that something was amiss. When he saw the disguised Simeons coming back out looking rather demoralized, it was the final piece of information that he needed.

So Godzilla isn't here. Tricky little bugs... he observed with a half smile before resuming his search for Godzilla anew. But for now, he had other matters to attend to.

At the Nebulan base, Viceroy Kubota advised the Chairman, "We have just received word that a group of yet unknown insurgents have attacked the decoy site. Remote cameras also spotted Gudis near the installation as well." Fumio quickly turned to him.

"And the real rocket?"

"Still hidden and thus far undetected. The special radiation shielding and sensor reflecting devices in Godzilla's chamber are working flawlessly. The craft is impervious to all scans. You could stand right next to the hull with a Geiger counter and not get a single blip. Godzilla is all but invisible."

"Superb, Kubota. If anything should change, notify me at once."

_Frankenstein_

Klaxons shattered the silence of the night at a top secret government laboratory as something very large smashed into the moderately guarded complex. Gudis barrelled in, crushing countless personnel until he reached what appeared to be a large holding cell of some kind with reinforced titanium bars.

"At last I have found you," he growled.

Inside the cell was Frankenstein. After being dragged down to his watery death off the coast of Hiroshima by the Devilfish in 1964, scientists had recovered his remains and placed them in this lab for study. Over time, the creature's body regenerated and Frankenstein lived anew but precautions were taken to insure that he would not escape again.

Frankenstein had aged some but the radioactivity connected to his ability to regenerate had apparently slowed the process. He looked up at the Gudis, roaring defiantly as he shook his fists at the towering behemoth in front of him.

"How very amusing," the Gudis said, trying to stifle a laugh as he ripped the cell door off its hinges with his jaws. Frankenstein backed into a corner, snarling like a treed animal. Gudis brought forth one of his violet spheres, enveloping and trapping Frankenstein who held his arms out as it surrounded him. Once it did, he was frozen in place in a sort of suspended animation. Gudis absorbed the sphere back into himself, along with Frankenstein and the abilities that he possessed became a part of him. Gudis' own power would magnify Frankenstein's regenerative abilities a hundred times over.

"Thank you, Frankenstein," Gudis said with a devilish grin.

On Obelisk Island in the South Seas off the coast of Japan, several thousand tons of saurian flesh hit the ground hard as the monster Gappa was floored by a crippling punch. It looked up at the nightmarish form of the Gudis standing over it, spreading its jaws in a sadistic smile. This Gappa was the same one that had been kidnapped from its island home as a hatchling in 1967, now fully grown and with a mate of its own. He had produced an offspring as well. As he attempted to fight off the attacker, it was becoming painfully obvious that he was outmatched and looked back at his mate who was standing several hundred meters behind, protectively guarding their child.

Gudis had come to absorb one of the Gappas in order to gain the ability of flight. With Anguirus' DNA now a part of him, he discovered that he was a superb swimmer, having made the trip from the mainland in record time. The Gappa lunged up with a roar as he charged but got back-anded aside easily, going down in a heap once again. Rolling over on his side, he fired his heat ray but Gudis just stood there, laughing at this attempt to harm him. The Gappa turned back towards his mate with pleading eyes and shrieked to her in their own language.

"Get out of here! Go! Fly away!"

"No! I won't leave you!"

"You must! Save yourself and our son!" the male pleaded as the Gudis wrapped his right hand around the back of his neck. The Gappa was picked up off the ground and given a painful back-breaking maneuver as Gudis brought him down over his right knee. The Triphibian bellowed in pain but still tried to fight on as he agonizingly pushed himself up off the ground and swiped at the Gudis with his claws from a kneeling position. The Gudis kicked him in the face, putting him down yet again. Before he could get back up, Gudis blasted him with his eye beams, sending him flying and crashing back down with a terrible impact.

"NO!" the female wailed in anguish.

"Daddy!" the youngling cried with tears in its eyes. The Gudis casually walked over to the quivering body of his prey and grabbed hold of him yet again. He picked him up into a power bomb, slamming him down hard on his back, resulting in reverberating impact tremors. The Gappa went numb all over, not realizing that several of the vertebrae in its spine had just been obliterated as the kaiju began to go into shock. The Gudis looked down at the creature, his eyes full of contempt and malice as he reached down to bring him up to a kneeling position in front of him, facing his mate and son. Gudis stared at them. He could feel their sadness and despair and see it in their eyes. It was delicious!

The female Gappa heard a voice inside her head.

Do you love him? the Gudis hissed in disgust.

"Please stop this! Don't hurt him anymore. Please!" she begged.

"Answer the question!" Gudis roared.

"Why are you doing this? We haven't done anything to you!"

"SAY IT, WRETCH!" Gudis grabbed and twisted her mate's left arm, shattering the bones into splinters.

"Yes! Yes, I love him!" she sobbed, breaking down in tears.

"Does it make you strong?"

"Wha-what?"

"Your love. Is it supposed to give you strength?"

"...Yes... "

"Was it supposed to make him strong, too?"

"Please! Just leave us alone!" she screamed.

"Answer the question or I'll snap his neck!"

"YES! YES, DAMN YOU!"

"Then tell me, worm... Why did I slaughter him so easily? Where is this strength you speak of? I have heard some claim that love is the most powerful force in the universe, yet I see no proof here. Is it even real?" The female Gappa fell to her knees, overcome by the misery that had overtaken her as her son clung to her desperately. "You are a fool and so is he! The only reality is power. Those who have it survive and those that don't..." the Gudis abruptly broke the male Gappa's neck by twisting his head.

"NOOOOO!" The female exploded in horrified grief as she watched her mate die before her eyes. The Gudis let his body fall lifelessly to the ground. The young Gappa began to cry and shriek uncontrollably as he turned away, burying his face in his mother's embrace. But as they knelt there on the ground, the female's pain was replaced by anger and she rose to a standing position. "Go, son... Now." she told her offspring as the Gudis looked on.

"What?" he asked her between sobs.

"Go! Run!"

"But, momma... "

"Do as I say. Now!" she bellowed as he staggered back from her sudden outburst.

"NOW!" she roared in a tone he had never heard her use before. "Please"... she begged. After a few moments, the young Gappa finally did as he was told and began to run away. In a rage, his mother flew straight at the Gudis, uttering an earsplitting screech. The monster simply thrust out his right hand, stopping her dead in her tracks and grabbed hold of her throat. As he slowly suffocated and lifted her off the ground, she blasted him directly in the face with her oral ray but it was useless.

"Pathetic," Gudis snarled, nonchalantly snapping her neck. The sound of her ruptured bones almost seemed to echo as the little Gappa stopped suddenly and spun around to see what had happened.

.".. Mo-mo-momma?" the youngling whimpered as tears started to stream down his face once more. The Gudis threw her body aside like so much garbage and looked over at the last surviving Triphibian of what had once been a family. Filled with terror, he took off running and unfolded his tiny wings, trying desperately to take off. He strained with everything he had and flapped as fast as he could. After a few moments, he could finally feel himself starting to lift off. "I'm going to make it! I'm going to -"

KA-BLAM! As the juvenile Gappa left the ground, his tiny body was eviscerated by a blast from the Gudis' eye beams. He never knew what hit him.

"Eh, you wouldn't have liked being an orphan anyway," Gudis joked with a dismissive wave as he turned back towards the body of the male and encased it in a sphere to absorb it. A massive pair of Gappa-like wings grew and unfolded out of his back but adding his own power to the transformation, they grew far larger than normal. The Gudis soon hovered above the ground like an unholy angel.

"Excellent!" he exclaimed before taking off into the sky at breakneck speed, leaving behind the broken and tattered remains of the Triphibian family whose blood now stained his hands.

_Mount Aso_

A Kilaak ship slowly approached the crater of the immense mountain that was the birthplace of the creatures called Rodan. The original two mutant Pteranodons had first raised their ugly heads from this place and caused worldwide panic before laying waste to Tokyo two years after it had initially been devastated by the first Godzilla to appear. A military strike had caused the already active volcano to erupt. Both pterosaurs perished in the hot lava, their bodies not able to withstand such intense heat. However, several years later, the creatures' son, who was seen hatching by one of the humans back in 1956, emerged from the crater. It had appeared in response to the arrival of King Ghidorah, a being that upset the lives of every creature its evil presence was felt by.

Since then, the mountain had stood silent, a mere shell of its former self. The volcano was no longer active and was well on its way to becoming extinct. The magma chamber deep beneath it was still there but it would soon sink back into the Earth's mantle due to natural forces.

The alien ship circled the area several times before hovering above the mountain. A powerful beam shot from underneath it, striking deep inside the volcano's crater, setting off a chain reaction of sub-atomic explosions within the magma chamber and creating an immense increase in pressure. However, the beam did much more than just revive a dying volcano.

Its mission completed, the space ship shot away to continue its trek across Japan. The mountain began to rumble as a vent opened in its side, releasing a plume of molten rock. Another exploded out of the opposite side, relieving some of the pressure. Suddenly, from the main caldera, an immense blast of lava and rock shot into the night sky, lighting up the area for miles in every direction. The eruption poured enormous amounts of ash and dust into the air, creating a massive black cloud which drifted south with the wind. The choking material added to that coming from Mount Fuji and several other volcanos the Kilaaks had activated. The skies of southern Japan would be dark for weeks beneath the oppressive snowy clouds of death.

_The Death of Osaka_

It was 3:37 P.M. as Takuro Kitadei walked nervously down the crowded street. He could feel the tension rolling off the people around him, see it in their faces, smell it as they feared something terrible about to happen. Something wasn't right.

The Nebulans had driven off King Ghidorah who appeared to have gone mad but it troubled Takuro. Did they have control of him? He had always believed the creature to be the very essence of evil. Mankind had been assured that the dragon could be a great power for good. Meanwhile, two other monsters, while menacing and frightening in their own right, had always seemed to come and save mankind from calamity in the past. Anguirus had been slain and Godzilla was gone, his body being mysteriously transported away, along with Gigan's. Despite all the property damage and loss of lives caused by the leviathan, he was the driving force behind stopping the rampages of other kaiju and had helped, along with Anguirus and many other monsters, to put an end to the attacks of King Ghidorah.

It may have sounded crazy but Godzilla's demise seemed to make the Earth a much more dangerous place. Takuro didn't trust any alien beings. Oh well, he thought bitterly as he entered the large office building where he worked. Nothing I can do about it...

The tension seemed to escalate inside the unusually cramped and crowded hallways as he made himself a cup of coffee. Takuro finally got to his office and shut the door behind him, letting out a long sigh before dropping his briefcase on his chair and taking a sip of his coffee. He turned and stared out the window at the grand city of Osaka. Smoke rose like a tombstone from the east. Osaka Castle was burning! He shuddered, feeling a chill run down his spine. A huge explosion suddenly rocked the city, engulfing the castle completely. When the smoke cleared, a series of fireballs were revealed. Takuro suppressed a horrified scream when he recognized them as Kilaak ships in their 'Fire Dragon' mode.

A beam shot out from a larger ship near the middle of the formation and a building collapsed into the street below. Just then, the cities' sirens came to life, their mournful requiem filling the downtown area and igniting a massive panic. Flames suddenly burst from all of the ships and engulfed many buildings in fiery explosions. Takuro instinctively turned and ran for his life, striking his office wall and collapsing in a heap on the floor, unconscious.

The Kilaak ships cleared two city blocks of all structures before landing, their fires dwindling and leaving a series of bright red and orange discs. A port opened on the bottom of each and a ramp lowered to the ground. Thousands of Kilaaks wearing shimmering chain mail and body armor marched out, looking for all the world like a medieval army of unimaginable proportions and power. Several smaller land cruising vehicles were lowered and ten Kilaaks boarded each one. These were mobile pulse cannons and transports. An American who had been watching the whole ordeal suddenly ran from his hiding spot with a pump shotgun, blasting at the soldiers.

"Die, you alien bastards!" he shrieked, unloading his weapon at them. The Kilaaks were surprised but smiled as the steel pellets bounced harmlessly off their metallic armor. A single warrior ran at the foolish man who screamed and began running away but the Kilaak was quickly on top of him. He crushed his skull with his bare hands and wiped the blood and gore on the would-be hero's clothing, laughing the entire time.

At that moment, the city's automated defense systems began to rise from several strategic buildings and clearings. These had been built around the mid-80s and designed to ward off the attacks of monsters until the military could get to the scene. Missiles and tank shells suddenly filled the air, streaking across the landscape to bounce off of or crumple harmlessly against the Kilaak's advanced shielding systems. The aliens continued their advance on the remaining structures, expanding their shields to protect them from any further resistance. They fired at the buildings and a jet of intense flame melted the steel support girders until they collapsed in on themselves. The invaders began to spread out, creating a semi-circle of devastation but the real hell had yet to begin.

A Kilaak ship rose into the sky and turned suddenly, facing toward the sea as a booming cackle echoed through the steel canyons of the city like the cry of an avenging god. Rodan had arrived.

Aboard the FLAMING FURY, nestled safely amongst his invasion fleet, King Karkaru smiled. He knew their presence would arouse at least one of the monsters that had fought against them some ten years ago. The pursuit craft prepared for an aerial duel as Rodan came into view, moving too fast to spot accurately but it gave chase to the flying reptile a full mile above it, moving as fast as it could.

Suddenly, something no one had counted on hit them with the fury of twenty hurricanes. A sonic boom leveled everything in the area: Kilaaks, ships, buildings. Human or alien, it did not matter. Every Kilaak out in the open fell flat on his face. The grounded ships were knocked down flat, their 'legs' collapsing underneath them. The Kilaaks did not allow such an attack to deter them, however.

A fighter craft in the sky banked sharply and got directly behind the great flying creature, slipping slightly below its flight path to avoid the slipstream. Rodan made a lazy turn to the right as it began to fire on his leathery hide, then suddenly flew straight up into the air. The Kilaak ship struggled to follow as the pterosaur completed a 180 degree turn and flew down at it. The pilot steered hard to the left, spinning out of control as Rodan zoomed past, only to fly back up and snatch his craft out of the sky with his talons. The vessel encased itself in flame, causing a shriek of pain. Rodan dropped the ship and it began to spin around furiously, creating a firestorm that surrounded the winged reptile, scorching its flesh. But to one who had survived the might of Godzilla's beam, this was nothing.

Rodan began to fly in circles and the firestorm became a tornado of flames in the sky. The Kilaak ship was caught in the immense winds, losing control and tossing about violently. Rodan dived straight for it, slamming into the ship. It exploded against his massive body, the remains of the vessel falling from the sky and onto a skyscraper, bringing the structure down with it. Rodan circled several times, inspecting the damage as he began to slow and descend, approaching the Kilaak army with anger in his soul and fire in his heart.

When he spotted the formation a good mile below him, he sped up. He closed his wings around his body and went into a dive, ready to flare them out at the last minute to capture his prey with his foot claws. The creature approached at a speed that dwarfed his previous records.

Rodan never saw the force shield surrounding the Kilaak troops and slammed into it with the impact of a speeding missile. His neck snapped instantly and the great winged samurai of the skies was vanquished by his own incredible abilities. The pterosaur's body fell, broken and battered, to the ground. The Kilaaks, ever unforgiving and unsympathetic, burned the carcass away with their advanced heat weaponry before resuming their merciless attack on the once-proud metropolis.

Takuro awoke on his office floor with a start. He regretted it, feeling the pain shoot like daggers up his leg. Blinking several times, his eyes came into focus and he saw that a wall had partially collapsed on him. He pushed at the debris and surprisingly, lifted it away. Takuro soon rose on his good leg, using his guest chair for support. He rubbed his eyes and looked out the window. Then he screamed. Osaka wasn't just in ruins, it was annihilated. And what was worse, the eastern portion of the city seemed to be covered in boiling hot lava which slowly but inescapably inched its way towards the industrial district.

He looked upwards and saw that the skies were flashing with static lightning. Every once in a while, the lava would roll over a gas main and another explosion would rock the building. He began to sob. His parents lived in the part of the city that seemed to be covered by the cooling rock. He now had no home.

Takuro looked at his watch. It was only around 4 P.M. but the sky was black as night. Finding his battery-powered television, he turned it on and stared at the tiny screen. The sound was off but he saw the ominous cloud rising over Osaka. It resembled a black mountain, looming over the city of Man.

_The Virans_

Near the planet Jupiter, a star ship curiously shaped like a group of beehives stuck together spun a slow course through space. It could accelerate to great speeds on a whim but the beings inhabiting it were content with taking their time. The ship was known as a Modular Stat Transport to its creators and this particular one was called the AZAG-THOTH.

Within the command module, its crew had gathered for an important meeting. They were close to the dreaded planet Earth, a world the creatures of Viras held in their deepest desires.

Mordant Zerrulus swept his tentacles across the floor, making a loud SHUWPing noise. His body closely resembled a silver tree trunk, topped with a series of peels almost in mockery of leaves. The Viran had six thrashing tentacles and a triangular face on the trunk's front side. Having finally gotten the attention of his brethren, Zerrulus spoke.

"Quiet, gathered fools! Allow the Master to speak!" That having been said, the Mordant (or Counselor, in their native tongue) looked up at the cage in which the Master (what the Virans considered a Captain) was suspended. This particular Viran had been one of many who underwent genetic modification on Viras, appearing different from the usual cephalopod. Instead of having silver scales like most, the Master had a blue-green color. Its tentacles, of which there were twice the usual number, were tipped with barbs on the end. Its head was more rounded, like an octopus rather than a squid.

"Thank you, Mordant. Now, I am quite positive we all know the reason we were sent from our mother star. Since the development of our terraforming procedures, colonization of other planets has been most appealing. Yet, the bio-weapon called Qu'thulos, possibly our most potent creation, disappeared into deep space. We have now located Qu'thulos under the surface of the planet Earth." Master C'seris stopped speaking, allowing the cyborg Viran, Iodrakas, to grate out the rest of his presentation.

"The Qu'thulos organism is theorized to be buried underneath that world's rocky exterior. Know that this planet's inhabitants are formidable. The thrice-damned enemy, Gamera -" A hissing cacophony of sound filled the air for a moment. "- originates from this planet. It may or may not be alive. Master C'seris, continue."

"Our plan is to establish an alliance with another species, one native to this solar system. We will have agents placed inside bodies and infiltrate the control centers of our enemies. Once they are out of the way, we will be free to move in, extract Qu'thulos and warp back to Viras." Of course, most of the Virans in command positions, including Iodrakas and Zerrulus, knew that C'seris had failed to mention the Earth's monsters. He settled back in his command cage, tentacles spread out in a reclining position as he activated the auto-comfort system. If the Virans had been humans, the AZAG-THOTH would be a battle cruiser and C'seris would be settling back with his arms behind his head in a captain's chair. He turned to look at his attendant, Iodrakas, who was more machine than Viran. The Commander gestured and Iodrakas spoke in his metallic, artificial voice.

"Master C'seris. Full reports of this system's native species are complete. Shall I proceed?" C'seris looked into the blue optics serving as Iodrakas' eyes. The cyborg appeared to be made of a striking red metal, with tentacles replaced by robotic limbs. Each held a series of multi-purpose tools. At first glance, Iodrakas would appear to be a machine but underneath the metal was the scarred remains of an organic Viran who had been caught in an explosion. Heavy cybernetics now kept him alive but C'seris didn't care about any of that at the moment.

"Proceed."

"There are at least four major sentient races in this solar system:

The people of Earth, which we are already aware of. They appear to be allied with an insectoid race but surveillance may have been inaccurate in that matter.

There are two more races. One is a species of sentient mineral using hot temperatures to maintain a form like that of the Earth people.

And one last race, of the same physical appearance in the most part as the Earth people. This race appears to be divided in two, each inhabiting a different planetoid.

The first race I mention is deformed by radiation, or so it appears. The other appears normal, with a cold planet and technology similar to our own. My recommendation would be an alliance with this species as its world is most comparable to our own." C'seris scraped a claw against his cage.

"Are they worthy of our trust?"

"Negative. But alliance can be maintained on a mutual understanding. Also, one of our surveillance satellites was destroyed by a giant draconian creature. The wreckage was totally immolated, leaving but spare molecules behind." C'seris pointed a clawed tentacle at the exit to the room.

"Inform the rest of them... Do our future allies have nanite technology?"

"Negative."

"Excellent." Iodrakas left through the artificial gravity tunnel, leaving C'seris alone. The Viran Commander tightened his beak in an imitation of a smile.

_The Mysterians_

Central City had just passed out of the rays of the sun for the day. Outside the domed Martian city, it was unimaginably cold, even for the Mysterians. There were no single houses in Central City and everyone lived in apartment structures. At the center of the metropolis was a huge, gleaming tower designated for the political authorities. At the very top was the home of the leader of the Mysterians, Koban, who was the son of the former King who had led the attack on Earth several years ago in hopes of getting women to rectify the problems of his radiation-ridden subjects. However, when that plan failed, the remaining Mysterians retreated, only to have several of their number shot out of the sky. Koban's father's ship was one of them.

King Koban remembered all those years before his rise to power. One of his hands was a testament of the horrible effects of Strontium-90. He began to hate that hand and everything it stood for. Koban realized he was a freak. Many lonely nights he would lay awake and stare at that hand, disgraced by what it made him. Eventually, it would lead him to put a knife to his own throat when he could no longer handle being a Mysterian. But fate stepped in just as death was about to close her arms around him. He received a call that his father was dead, making young Koban the new ruler.

A few days later, he accepted the revered red helmet, uniform and cape in a ceremony in front of his entire race. Koban looked out over the masses and fully realized that he was their master. This King's reign would be different from that of his father. He wasn't as lenient as his predecessor and demanded respect, to be honored - to be a god among the Mysterians. Statues and monuments were torn down and replaced by his. The prior administrators were killed and he brought in ones who were loyal to him and him only. The King was now a dictator.

Now Koban could look upon his hand with pride. It no longer laughed at him but gave him power - power to smite anyone who dared cross him. The universe would bow to him, begging for mercy.

The ruler now sat in front of the large window in his home overlooking Central City. The lights were off, the only source of illumination being the artificial starlight inside the dome. A knock came at the door.

"Enter," said the King. One of his staff came in. They were on call night and day to take any orders Koban might issue. The girl reached for the light switch. "Leave it off," he said without budging. She then walked over to him with a tray of food. This female was not only a staff member but one of the King's wives. He had chosen her for her unusual beauty amidst his deformed species.

"Will there be anything else, sir?" she asked, putting down the tray. Koban said nothing and began eating. She dared not move before receiving a reply from her husband. In mid-chew, Koban's eyes squinted in rage and he threw the tray to the floor, spit out the food and stood up from his chair.

"The meat is not cooked well enough!" he roared.

"Oh, please, my Lord! I assure you! I had the settings perfect for it. I swear!"

"You lying wench!" Koban back-handed her across the cheek and she fell to the floor. He quickly leaned down and grabbed her hair, pulling it until her head was crooked back. "If you weren't my wife, I would liquidate you right now! You are nothing but trouble, woman! One more slip-up and I will rip your head off myself! Do you understand?" She nodded between sobs of fear. "Now, then..." His voice had changed to a more soothing tone as he let go of her hair and held her head close to his chest, stroking it. "Why do you hate me so, Tara? I've shown you nothing but love and all I get is a slap in the face."

"I am so very sorry, Lord Koban," she whined. "It will never happen again."

"I know it won't," he assured her. Koban put his hand behind her head and locked her in a kiss. The gigantic screen behind him hummed to life as Commander Darius Kugo's face came into focus. Koban pushed the girl in the direction of the door. When the Chief of Security at the Mysterian's North Pole Base saw that he had the King's full attention, he bowed.

"I am terribly sorry to have disturbed you at such a late hour, my Lord," apologized the officer. "But you will be glad to know that our Earth forces at the North Pole have completed assembly of the new line of MOGERAs." A smile spread across the King's face. "Also, on our last expedition to Farou Island, we finally captured the monster known as Kong. We are currently creating the special alloy that will enhance the kaiju's ability to harness electricity."

"Absolutely amazing! Splendid! When can we be ready to attack?" he asked.

"I am afraid there is a problem, sire. We may not be the only ones preparing to take over the Earth."

"What do you mean?" Koban was most surprised by this news.

"There is a video you need to see, my Lord," Kugo insisted as a media file window popped up to recount Godzilla's defeat in Tokyo. "It seems that the Nebulans have helped the humans in finally dealing with Godzilla. But they appear to have lost control of a new, larger and obviously more powerful King Ghidorah." Koban knew the true reason behind the Skyllian's disobedience but feigned ignorance as he had not disclosed anything he had discussed with Sar'rious to anyone else. But he could not help but wonder where the Kilaaks were, considering that it had been suggested that they had possession of King Ghidorah once again. Kugo's continuing report broke Koban's new train of thought, however.

"But the most startling news of all is this." A picture of the newly-formed Gudis appeared on the screen. "Our scientists have found that this is none other than the deadly Gudis strain." Koban sank into his chair. He didn't need any surprises like that at this most important juncture of their preparations.

"And one more thing," Kugo continued. "Even if we do attack, we will still have to contend with the combined might of the humans, Seatopians, Nebulans and Mu who are now all allied." Koban was at a loss for words. A few seconds of complete silence went by but the King of the Mysterians did not wish to show fear in front of another of his race.

He held his head up high and finally replied, "Good work, Kugo. Make sure my MOGERAs are ready for action and proceed with the Kong plan. I will oversee our other technology here on Mars. Thank you, Commander."

"One moment, my Lord, one moment," added Kugo before fading out. "There is a message coming in from the Virans. They say they want to talk to you about a possible alliance."

Aboard the AZAG-THOTH, C'seris raised his command cage higher, his many tentacles clicking together. There was an incoming transmission from the planet Mars. The Viran Commander tapped one of the controls, slightly lowering his bulbous head. The screen before him and Iodrakas formed the image of a humanoid being clad in a red helmet, elaborate suit and apparently, a cape. Its head jolted back slightly, perhaps in a gesture of revulsion.

"I am Iodrakas. I speak for the Virans. Identify yourself." The being quickly regained its composure.

"I am Lord Koban, King of the Mysterians. You said you wanted to talk to me?" Iodrakas' blue optics glowed more brightly.

"We Virans desire to know whether or not you Mysterians would proceed against the races currently controlling Earth. Have you confronted this planet before?" The being, Lord Koban, bowed its head for a moment in silent reverie. Perhaps he was meditating on a previous encounter.

"We have. We... lost. But even now, we are mobilizing operations against it. We warn you not to interfere."

"Interfere? We will not interfere. We will aid you in these efforts. Granted, that you will aid us. We possess advanced nano-technology to enhance our efforts."

Lord Koban was not in the mood for talk. "All right. We will send files listing our technology in exchange for yours. Then we will talk again at a later time."

"As you wish," Iodrakas replied in his characteristic monotone as King Koban broke the connection. In a matter of minutes, files were exchanged and both alien races began to research the other's technology. C'seris immediately took command of the project.

"Analyze the files that were sent. If they contain any sort of virus, respond in kind. Summon the Mordant as you leave. I must confer with Zerrulus."

The documents came through as Lord Koban watched over the transmission. "Wait," the King ordered before the Mysterian scientist could open them. "Scan it thoroughly for viruses, listening devices - anything that isn't supposed to be there."

"Yes, my Lord." He and his staff went into a room with many machines. A faint humming sound was heard as they placed the recorded disks in a scanning device and secured it. The head of the unit entered his access code and the necessary commands. The noise got louder and lights blinked all over the machine. When the tests were completed, the results showed up on a screen. The scientist then returned to Koban who had not budged from his seat. "They are benign, your highness. Shall we go over the files now, sir?"

"Of course." The scientist quickly scheduled a meeting with the other department heads.

Koban was napping when the intercom crackled to life. Normally, somebody would have been hung upside down and whipped for such insolence but the Viran technology information was more important so he decided to forego such measures and hurried off to the conference rooms. When the sliding door opened, everyone present was standing beside their chairs. Koban took his seat at the head of the table. He always found it amusing to watch others stand awkwardly at attention until he gave them permission to sit down.

"Lord Koban," began a middle-aged Mysterian. "The data is by all means amazing. The Virans have made leaps and bounds in the field of nano-technology where we are still struggling with the concept."

"So what they say is true?" asked the King.

"It all makes sense, yes. These equations are true down to the very last variable."

"Then you all agree that we should form an alliance with the Virans?" asked Koban. Every Mysterian nodded. "Very well, then. Tell them they are welcome to tour the North Pole base as well. But remember one thing: if the Virans turn on us, I will personally see to it that you are all blasted into the far reaches of space."

"Understood," they replied as one.

"Now, I understand that our Earth forces have started more in-depth research on our enemies. Tell me what was discovered." The Mysterian seated to Koban's immediate right pulled out a folder and passed some photographs to him.

"This creature is a Mothra. Mothra Leo, to be exact. It has been this planet's guardian for many years," he explained.

"And what has become of Mothra Leo?" asked one of the younger Mysterians at the table.

"It fought more battles and then died recently. But not too long ago, this was discovered." More pictures were passed around that showed the newly-hatched Mothra Virgo. "This is Leo's child." One kaiju expert tapped the picture with his stylus and raised his head.

"The creature is very weak at this stage," he stated. "If we plan on destroying the Earth's defenses, this is clearly a good time to do so before it can transcend into a stronger form."

"General Wato," ordered Lord Koban. "I want a MOGERA and some of our men to seek out and destroy Mothra. Now."

The Chief of Biology stood up. "Sire, such a creature would be marvelous to science. I would love to examine it. After you've killed it, of course," he quickly added.

"Very well," agreed Koban. "And bring back its carcass for study, General."

"Might I request something?" asked the kaiju expert. "We get rid of them as well." He pointed to the picture of the giant caterpillar. Hovering in the air on Fairy Mothra were the Elias. "They seem to be somehow connected to the creature and can even empower it and vice versa."

Soon, two gigantic bay doors opened in the side of a glacier concealing the Mysterian's North Pole base. Three ships flew out, followed by a MOGERA. As the doors closed again, they headed off in the direction of Infant Island.


	5. Union

_The Space Force Directive_

King Koban walked into his office which, thanks to a large window, overlooked Central City. He had just come from an important meeting concerning the Mysterian invasion of Earth. His base at the North Pole was progressing smoothly and efficiently and everything was going according to plan. Regardless, he was very tired and wanted nothing more than to sit in the deep armchair behind his desk. Koban took off his helmet and laid it on the small table beside him. Placing his hand on the desk for support, he turned eighty degrees and fell into its padded comfort.

Ohhh he thought. The room was rather dark and extremely quiet. Finally... His back had been bothering him all day - every day, in fact. It was the unfortunate side effect of a drug he had been taking for his badly deformed hand. The doctor had promised that over a period of time, it would return to normal but he had yet to see any difference. All that had changed was that he was now taking a pain killer for his backaches. Settled deep in his chair, the tyrannical dictator let out a sigh of relief.

"Long day?" asked a mysterious voice. King Koban jumped to his feet, quickly alert as he looked about the room frantically but it was too dark to see anything. In fact, if someone wished to pass through amongst the shadows in the corners, they could most easily do so. It seemed that just such an occurrence had taken place.

"Who's there?" he shouted in a rage. How dare anyone intrude upon his private quarters! He would have the imbecile executed for this, if he didn't kill him first! Koban continued to look left and right. "Who is in here?" he yelled again.

"I will take that as a 'yes'," spoke the figure slowly emerging from the corner beside the doors that had opened only minutes before. Koban remained unsettled as he warily followed the tall man's movements. He could hear the sound of his leather clothing rustling as he came closer. From the intruder's point of view, the room was fairly well lit, despite the silhouette cast by the Mysterian's body in front of the window. "How is your back?" he asked.

Sensing that he had held the suspense along enough, Ken'trus stepped into the faint light in front of him. The move created a dramatic tension, the Xian thought, and an impressive introduction. Koban, however, was not one for dramatics and his rage only gave way to mixed feelings of irritation, uncertainty, confusion and more rage.

"How did you get in here?" he growled.

"You must forget that we perfected the technology of teleportation years ago. I simply 'beamed' in," he smirked.

"If you ever do that again..." Koban spoke angrily. "I will have you killed."

"Right..." mocked the Xian. Koban again fell into his seat but he was no longer able to enjoy its comfort, being too annoyed at this point.

"What do you want?" Ken'trus avoided the question and began making small talk instead.

"I see you Mysterians still practice marriage. What a waste of time. Women are only good for breeding. And you still insist on kidnapping other race's females? Bah! Why not clone them? At least that way, you can always be assured that they are beautiful." Ken'trus smiled as he walked across the floor. Koban's anger toward the cocky Xian reached new heights.

"Enough with your games! What do you have to say?" The sub-Controller of Planet X suddenly became more serious and spoke in an emotionless tone.

"We have problems. We seem to have underestimated the Kilaaks. Their new ships are twice as powerful as the last time we faced them and they have scheduled their attack plans sooner than we would have thought."

"It seems that for once you didn't get everything right, huh?" Koban smiled to himself.

"You do not seem to be taking this seriously."

"Of course I am taking it seriously! Do you have any idea of the numerous alterations to our plans that will have to be made?" Koban's tone of voice had suddenly changed from semi-humorous back to angry again. "We can not let the Kilaaks start their attack. They must be stopped! Otherwise, our plans for conquering the northern hemisphere will be severely delayed as we will have to send multiple counter-actions against them and drive them away." A confused expression came over Ken'trus' face as he listened to the Mysterian king rant.

"Do you Mysterians know nothing? The Kilaaks have already begun their attack! We learned of it when they killed Rodan who had been scouting around Osaka. They have turned southern Honshu into a lava pit! And what is worse, we observed the Okinawan god, King Seesar, merge with the dead body of Anguirus near one of the Kilaaks' new volcanos. We can only assume greater forces are at work here, for we have no data concerning King Seesar having such an ability."

"You mean you do not already know?" The King sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Know what?" asked Ken'trus in surprise. After a moment of silence, Koban turned his head to stare at him.

"That thing is the Gudis virus."

"Indeed? That is all we need now - a planet killer!" Ken'trus responded with a surprised look, then shook his head before continuing. "In addition, we just learned of possible Earth activity by the Simeons and besides that, who knows what the Nebulans are up to? I personally do not think the Seatopians' 'perfect peace' speech has any truth to it. In fact, I have been trying to cast doubt upon their new alliance but I fear our plans are being undermined." Koban's face alternately changed from disappointment to fury.

"Then you can tell that to the Virans when they get here. We will see what THEY plan to do about it." The King re-crossed his arms in stubborn defiance.

"The Virans are coming here?" asked Ken'trus in surprise. Koban stared at him in silence.

"And what, may I ask, have you learned from the Reptilicus leg? We had an agreement, remember?" The King was unable to control his fury any longer. "I am telling you this only once - and off the record - that if our alliance did not depend so much upon us giving you the cure - when we find one, mind you - I would watch you Xian scum die off from your own mutations," he hissed with utter contempt. "Brethren or not, the past cannot be changed and you know that is why this treaty between our people is secret."

"You think I could forget so easily? You almost daily express your disgust with anything not Mysterian." Ken'trus folded his arms as well and turned to face the wall. Another moment of quiet thought ensued before Koban finally spoke.

"We have yet to create an actual cure for our people. We are still in the testing stage."

"I told you before. The job could be done twice as fast if you let my people go to work on it -"

"That will not be necessary!" Koban snapped. "You know I do not trust your scientists one bit."

"Yes, I know..." Silence again blanketed the room as the two rulers considered their relationship.

Outside the royal offices was a wide hallway twenty feet high and about the same measure in length, though it narrowed considerably as one went back into the Main Hall of the King's Central Tower. Directly outside the large navy-colored doors to Koban's office were beautiful silver-paneled walls within the 'rib cage' of golden inward-curving beams which went up to the ceiling's edge. This was an architectural wonder as millions of tiny shimmering diamond 'stars' flickered against a deep blue background, reflecting the various bright luminaries along the corridor.

It was into this area that the Virans had arrived. Commander C'seris and his attendants slithered across the marble floor, trying to adjust to the chill of the building but at the same time, not appearing to be bothered by it. Must these Mysterians always keep things so cold? C'seris thought to himself. It was completely unreasonable. Given, his species had long ago adapted to such temperatures but this was ridiculous! It is like a meat locker! he moaned in his mind.

They reached the Secretariat of Information and Scheduling desk located to the left and just outside Koban's offices. It was long and curved and plated in gold with dark blue tile on its work surface. Any impression the Virans may have gotten about King Koban's haughtiness as they had moved along the hall was probably correct. It was certainly no secret that this proud dictator enjoyed showing off materially. Iodrakas approached the blue-uniformed Mysterian behind the desk who was occupied with a computer.

"C'seris of the Virans has an appointment with King Koban." The Mysterian looked up in surprise at the squid-like creature speaking to him. It was fortunate for the humanoid that his helmet's shade was down so that the Virans did not see the look of disgust in his eyes. Pulling himself together, he quickly ran through several program sequences and finally pulled up the reservation for the Virans.

"Yes... Here it is. King Koban is busy at the moment, relaxing. If you would be so kind as to wait over there..." the Mysterian gestured toward the opposite wall which had a long built-in bronze bench. The octopus-like creatures turned and half-heartedly slithered to it, squirming and trying to settle on it comfortably - if such a thing was possible. Iodrakas, observing the difficulty his comrades were having, chose to stand against the wall instead.

About three minutes had passed since the Virans arrived (though it seemed far longer) when the cybernetic Viran suddenly realized that something was amiss. His computer-enhanced senses had picked up another life form in Koban's office. It was strange that he had not noticed it before. He began to electronically eavesdrop on the conversation within and hoped the Mysterians could not track him also. What he learned was surprising and his Commander would certainly want to know about it. Iodrakas crawled up to C'seris, tapping him on the side.

"Another species has made clandestine arrival in Koban's office. A Xian," whispered Iodrakas. "Almost identical to the Mysterians in physical appearance, but with a differing energy pattern." C'seris turned toward the doorway which concealed the Mysterian ruler.

"Turn up your sensors. Record their conversation. I have no doubt these... Xians know of us. Almost identical, Iodrakas? Perhaps their species are connected in some way. We need to know more about them."

In Koban's office, the Mysterian noted that Ken'trus had been carrying a metal cylinder under his arm. "What is that you're holding?" he inquired. Ken'trus looked at him and then down at the cylinder.

"I almost forgot." He opened it, slid out a rolled-up cloth and laid it on the desk. Koban saw that it was a small flag. It almost had a metal-like texture; white-gray in color with a red center which no doubt represented the sun. From it, three bent lines extended. Koban looked at the bold red letters printed across the flag's bottom.

"'Space Force Directive'?"

"Mysterian, Xian, Viran - all working together for the mutual propose of ensuring our species' survival. This is a holy war, Koban, the end of what started so long ago when we were one people. The disputes end here! From now on, it is all about us, not ourselves. Together we can defeat the Kilaaks, subdue the Simeons, enslave mankind and control the Earth. After that, the possibilities are endless!" A new air of excitement suddenly came into the room as the mood had quickly shifted in another direction. Koban looked up at Ken'trus.

"You really want reunification, don't you?" he muttered almost sympathetically.

"More than anything," Ken'trus assured him, placing his hand over his heart. Koban sighed.

"I never saw it this way before. Is it really possible?" he wondered, looking off into space through his great window.

"Yes, it is." Koban stared back down at the flag. Thoughts rushed through his mind by the thousands.

"But the Virans..."

"Forget about the Virans. After we conquer the Earth, we can destroy them! Then it will be us - our people as one once again, as it should be."

Time quickly passed as C'seris pretended to make idle conversation with the Mordant Zerrulus while it would appear to any bystanders that Iodrakas had powered down. Nonetheless, C'seris felt they had waited long enough. With an air of authority, he rose from his seat and glided to the Mysterian behind the desk.

"Tell King Koban we will see him now." He watched the Mysterian nod and scamper toward the office doors. Inside, Koban had sat back in his chair. There was also a Xian present whose appearance in the room initially puzzled him but he announced the Virans' arrival.

"Wonderful. Show them in." The Mysterian quickly closed the doors and departed. Koban and Ken'trus smirked.

"The King is expecting you, sir." C'seris pretended to activate Iodrakas who was faking sleep and beckoned him and the Mordant.

"We have an audience to attend." C'seris entered first, followed by his underlings. He was somewhat worried about the Xian present but nothing to be concerned about. Iodrakas was more than met the eye, which could prove fatal if the alien chose to attack.

"I am C'seris, Master of the AZAG-THOTH star cruiser. Greetings." Koban extended his hand to the cephalopod who stared at the appendage in puzzlement, then dropped an edible puff into his hand. "You want food?" Koban sighed and shook his head. "We are here, Koban," C'seris said, the hint of a smile at the corners of his beak. His gaze went to the black-clad and caped figure. The Xian's leader, apparently. His face was blank, giving no hint of emotion.

"These are the Xians, our relatives. This is Ken'trus, sub-Controller of Planet X." Iodrakas regarded the two with his photo-receptors. Both were conspiring to wipe out the Virans and thought themselves secretive. King Koban was a fool and a raging psychopath, in no way fit for command. It was also apparent he found the Virans revolting, though he tried to disguise it. There was no hint of cunning in Koban but Ken'trus, the Xian, was the exact opposite: cold and calculating, with that strange energy about him. It was quite obvious to Iodrakas that Ken'trus had no intention of following up on his promise to Koban. When the time came, he would destroy the Mysterians as well as the Virans. Ken'trus was dangerous. Further analysis needed to be conducted. For now, Zerrulus had begun to speak.

The Mordant was able to get a grasp of the situation quickly and his calm, controlled statements had won him many admirers in the past. Iodrakas calculated a 20% chance that Ken'trus would hold some respect for the wise Viran but only a 6% chance for Koban. C'seris hoped that Elarkus would not stutter out every last detail of their plans.

Something registered in the back of his mind but Iodrakas gave no indication that he had slowly begun to realize that if Ken'trus possessed this strange energy, certainly more of his kind must as well. Perhaps it would be suitable to find and draw out Qu'tholos...

"Let us get down to business then," declared Ken'trus in his cold, calm voice. "Would any of you have an idea as to how we should begin?"

"I have a plan of action," spoke up Koban quickly, as if he had been waiting for the Xian to ask. "In fact, I have been thinking of it for some time." He walked over to the wall opposite the giant window and pressed a button. A streak of blue light shot out of the wall. It reached to the middle of the room, then expanded to form a three-dimensional image of the Earth which began to rotate slowly. Koban walked over to the hologram and gestured toward the northern hemisphere, lightly tapping the representation of North America with his fingertips. The continent immediately filled the hologram and the image stopped rotating.

"In each of our prior attacks against Earth, we began our assault in Japan. While that country is a very large entity in terms of world economics, it doesn't hold a candle to this one..." He gazed upon the graphic before them. "...The United States of America. Ever since their rise as a nation over two hundred years ago, they have been a force to reckon with. Whether it was war, public policy or technology, the United States has continued to be the most powerful country on the face of the globe. My friends, if we can take this nation, the rest of the world will topple before us."

Koban paused to review the expressions of his colleagues. However, unlike his subjects who feared him, the Virans and Xian present didn't offer praise or any other sign that would make Koban feel that he had authority over the situation. It was something he had become accustomed to over his many years as King to feed his glutinous craving for power. These two species had long since abandoned emotions and were focused entirely on the plan being proposed to them rather than giving unneeded admiration to the Mysterian.

"How do you suggest we go about taking this powerful country over?" asked the Mordant. "Or have you not gotten around to thinking of that yet?" As with the other two Virans, Zerrulus saw Koban as an unprepared creature who would jump into any situation head first. To some extent, he was right. Koban raised a hateful eyebrow at the question but continued.

"We have devised a crude, yet, in my opinion, effective way to show our power. We start here." Koban touched California and pointed to its coast. "In the city of San Francisco. Then we march." He touched the image, bringing it back to the full view of the U.S. "Across the country, destroying everything in our path. We will not stop until we reach the nation's capital." Koban pointed to its location on the map. "If they do not get the message by then, we will blow their political center to smithereens."

"A cunning idea," agreed Ken'trus. "Our vanguard will start on a different path from the Mysterians, so as to cover more ground but we will meet up with you at the capital in the end."

"Indeed," spoke C'seris. "We, the Virans, will break into two groups: one following Koban's forces and the other with Ken'trus' army. As we have no kaiju at our disposal, the only thing that we can offer is our technology."

"That should be sufficient," figured Koban. Although Ken'trus felt the same way, he didn't like the idea that Koban hadn't bothered to let him speak his mind. He knew more about him than the tyrant realized and while this was a relatively insignificant event, he knew he would have to watch the Mysterian more carefully. If Koban thought he could be the kind of leader of him and the rest of his people like he was toward his own, he was in for a tremendous disappointment.

"So be it," said Ken'trus. The three leaders nodded their approval as Koban looked at his new allies.

Look at them he thought to himself as he eyed the Virans. Totally unaware of what is to befall them. Utter imbeciles! It is almost hilarious to watch their pathetic forms scurry across my floor. No matter. They will be destroyed in the end He also held contempt for Ken'trus. In reality, this was a shallow jealousy of the Xian. In all his years, he had never known a person as undeterred or who could stand there and wouldn't let you know a shred about what he was thinking or how he felt. What in the world could be going on in that mind? Whatever it was, it mocked him and made him feel inferior. This could only be rewarded with a slow, painful death. But in his total vanity and faith in himself and his kind, King Koban failed to see the undeniable truth that the Virans and Xians had the same exact plans as he did.

_Death Ghidorah_

The night was dark over Hokkaido and the forest seemed to cringe in fear at the presence of evil. Belvera's demented smirk pierced the gloom. As she held a shield-like pendant above her head, it began to glow, setting off an explosion in the heart of the forest near a large hill. Gigantic flares of flame burst into the chilling air and rubble shot up just as high.

"Rise from your tomb and destroy anything in your path!" the dark fairy shouted. Suddenly, a huge explosion occurred and light shone forth from the hill. An evil voice was heard that sounded like low elephant howls and grew stronger. When the intense light had dissipated, a terrible monster stood in its place: the ancient demon of destruction, Death Ghidorah.

In Sapporo, doom lurked on the horizon. To the east, flames sprang into the air as Death Ghidorah continued to absorb the power contained within the forests. Up in the sky, the two fairies of Mothra gazed upon the terror that was unfolding. Both knew that Death Ghidorah had to be stopped at any cost or everything would eventually be destroyed but the odds were against them. The last time Death Ghidorah had appeared, Mothra Leo's mother and herself had battled him together. Sadly, Mothra Leo was gone now and only the larva, Mothra Virgo, remained. She would surely be defeated by the three-headed demon.

"We can't call Mothra. She is too young right now and if she dies, we won't have ANY protection..." Lora muttered as she and Moll considered the situation.

"We have to try! If we don't, we will be abandoning this city to its destruction. It is our duty to protect humanity and the Earth," Moll replied with great confidence.

"I will not ask Mothra to go to her death!" Lora shouted. Moll glanced back at her sister and smiled gently.

"I cannot do it without you and we can't let innocent people die." Lora considered her words for a moment, then nodded. The fairies gazed up toward the sky and lifted their voices in song.

The Mothra Song

_MOSURA! MOSURA!_

_Mosura ya Mosura_

_Doungan kasakuyan_

_Indou muu_

_Rusuto Wiraado a_

_Hamuba hamubaamuya_

_Randa banuradan_

_Tounju kanraa_

_Kasakuyaanmu!_

The Elias performed beautiful gestures as they began to sing the ode again. Their voices seemed to echo across the sky and diminish far off over each horizon. They could only hope that the power within Mothra Virgo could stop the rampage of Death Ghidorah, or at least halt him for the time being.

Back on Infant Island, the Mothra larva raised her body as the Shobijin's voices echoed across the wind. She knew that she was being summoned and could sense the terrible evil that infested the world.

With a loud screech, she crawled down from her stone shrine with great confidence. As she left the island, a trail of hope seemed to follow her. Mothra Virgo would try her hardest to save the people and the world she loved so much.

Sirens sounded as Death Ghidorah entered the great city of Sapporo. The mammoth quadruped trampled through buildings and other edifices, causing massive fires to rise into the cool night sky. The three-headed menace trumpeted his horrific roar, informing every living creature that he had risen and would be wielding even more devastation. He blasted buildings with his lava rays and shattered them into millions of pieces of flying debris. Death Ghidorah was convinced that he was the most powerful being prowling the planet's surface but he was soon to be proven wrong.

The ground shook beneath the dragon's feet and it became difficult for him to remain standing. Seconds later, a mountain of dirt and rock exploded into the air right in front of the monster. When the dust settled, another creature revealed itself to the world. The armored larval insect Battra had appeared and roared furiously at the demonic space fiend.

Moll and Lora were surprised by his arrival. They knew that this was a weapon of the males of their species but it was very unusual for Battra to come to the aid of the Earth.

"Why is he going to try and help fight off Death Ghidorah?" Lora wondered.

"I really do not know but Mothra is going to need help to defeat this monster. She will be here soon," Moll replied. They could only hope that Battra would prevail against this powerful nemesis. The larva let out another roar and reared up on his backside. Two devastating blasts of prismatic energy seared out from his crimson eyes and lanced into Death Ghidorah who stood up on his back legs and roared in agony.

Battra savored his enemy's painful cries and continued to attack with his prism beams. Death Ghidorah grew angry and released a potent flame from his center mouth which caused the ground beneath Battra to give way. The caterpillar fell into the gaping hole and Hell's Flame burst up from the depths. It didn't seem to harm Battra as his armor was quite resistant.

The larva hopped out of the great crack in the earth and slammed into Death Ghidorah's side, causing him to lose his balance and stagger. The beast soon regained his momentum and turned around to snarl at his insectoid foe sadistically. He had great hatred toward this opponent and was convinced he would make it suffer unceasing pain and torment until it begged for death.

Battra was not fazed by the demon's cry and as Death Ghidorah roared, he lunged forward, piercing the dragon's side with his gigantic cranial horn, forcing him to wail in terrible agony. Dark red blood spewed from the wound. The larva aimed his prism beams at the injury to cause even more irritation. Death Ghidorah soon became fed up with this creature's constant annoyance and in a blaze of fury, bombarded the larva with his lava rays but the caterpillar's armor provided protection against the heat.

Mothra Virgo crawled up out of the bay, her body drenched from the cold water. She took a moment to shake it off but her attention was on the battle. Her ancient nemesis was beating on another old foe. She targeted Death Ghidorah who was was distracted with Battra and posed a greater threat to the planet. The brown worm cautiously got behind the space demon, reared up on her backside and using her body like spring, jumped up onto Ghidorah's back. He immediately reacted and flung himself around, attempting to knock the caterpillar off but she remained in place, biting the dragon's flesh with her strong mandibles and tearing some of his skin away.

Suddenly, energy began to streak through Death Ghidorah's colossal body. He released a huge shock that flung the larva high into the night sky. As she came plummeting down, Death Ghidorah smote her with his lava beams, causing her to crash into the tower at the center of the city. It shattered, burying the larva under tons of debris.

The Elias gasped in fear. Lora turned her head away and bit her lip nervously but something in the sky had caught Moll's attention. She noticed that the clouds had increased and lightning streaked through them.

"Death Ghidorah is going to kill Mothra and Battra! We are all doomed!" Lora cried.

"Look up into the sky. Something is happening!" Moll replied. The fairies saw unusual glowing spore-like particles raining down and disappear when they came in contact with the ground. Death Ghidorah snarled malevolently as he watched a bunch of roses sprout up and surround him. They were quite beautiful but just something else that he would eliminate. To his surprise, the ground burst open a few hundred meters in front of him where a colossal rose emerged. Death Ghidorah hissed furiously as he gazed upon Biollante who had come from the planet itself.

It became deathly silent as they gazed upon each other. Both monsters were mortal enemies; Biollante representing life and Death Ghidorah, death. The three-headed menace snarled as he backed away. Biollante was not intimidated by his evil and released her beautiful cry. Ghidorah retorted with an angry roar which signaled that he was not going to stand down. A minute or two elapsed before the ground suddenly opened and a massive veil of vines and tendrils enveloped him. The demon roared hatefully at his foe as she constricted his body. Ever more tendrils emerged, this time wrapping around his four legs and causing him to collapse into the sandy hole they had come from. Death Ghidorah struggled to remain upright.

Fed up with this new creature, in a blaze of hatred Death Ghidorah blasted several streams of lava spit which caused the vines constricting him to break up into a sappy mess. However, Biollante did not give up so easily and sent ones with sharp-toothed mouths snaking toward him. Ghidorah managed to destroy a few until one rose up into the demon's faces and spat a glob of caustic fluid. The acid got into his eyes and he writhed in agony. The dragon reared up on his back legs and blasted his three lava beams into Biollante's main body, causing explosions to erupt from within. The Earth's spirit released a horrific cry of pain as her foliage seemed to writhe in spasms.

Just when Death Ghidorah assumed the battle was finished, he felt a terrible burning sensation on his backside. He turned a head around and found Mothra Virgo spitting her silk at him. Electrical shocks seemed to lance into his body as the metamorphic string touched his skin. The young Goddess knew of Biollante and it was her duty to aid her. When the dragon's faces were covered in the silky mess, she jumped up like a spring and thrust her tail spike into Death Ghidorah's flesh.

In a matter of seconds, Death Ghidorah blasted the silken web from his faces and was biting viciously at the larva. He grasped her body and hoisted it into the air. Bright green blood flew from Mothra's carapace as he slammed her onto the ground repeatedly. The Elias could do nothing but watch in horror as their goddess was mutilated by the demon.

"Mothra, you can not die!" Lora whimpered as she buried her head in Moll's shoulder.

"Lora, show confidence in Mothra. She can do it," Moll assured her. Just when all hope for Mothra's survival seemed to fade, Battra squirmed up between the two battling kaiju and showered Death Ghidorah's body with his prism beams. He battled furiously against the demon, slamming his horn into the dragon's necks and poking at him. However, it was not enough. Death Ghidorah grasped onto the insect's exo-skeleton and threw him into several buildings. As he tried to get up, Ghidorah's two forefeet came slamming down on him. Again and again, Death Ghidorah crashed his weight onto Battra's body, savoring his enemy's painful cries until Mothra again entered the fray, releasing a large energy blast from between her forelegs. The beam lanced into Death Ghidorah and knocked him on his side, causing a mighty earthquake. He quickly recovered and threw the caterpillar around even more until it seemed to lose consciousness.

While Death Ghidorah was busy contending with Mothra and Battra, Biollante had spent the valuable time consuming additional energy. She sent more toothy tendrils slithering toward the fiend to bite into his flesh and cause electrical pulses to sear into his body. The demon's own energy surge vaporized the vines. Another volley of lava blasts caused more sappy blood to splatter onto the ground.

Biollante's lifeforce was weakening and she had to call upon her final weapon. Raising her remaining tendrils, she sent them searing towards Death Ghidorah at unbelievable speed. Instead of wrapping or biting onto him, they pierced his skin. Ghidorah squealed in tormented agony as he gathered his energy to release a fiery blast that seared into Biollante's body, causing it to catch fire and incinerate. In several minutes, she was reduced to a pile of smoldering foliage. Her golden spores rose from the ground and departed back into the clouds, leaving behind a terrible cry of revenge as her mutant form appeared in the smoke and fire. But eventually, it diminished as well, only to be replaced by Death Ghidorah's triumphant roar.

Mothra and Battra were too injured to stand against the terrible demon and could only watch as he continued to destroy the city of Sapporo. Fairy Mothra flew down to the battered larvae with the Elias. They hopped off their mini-moth and walked over to Mothra and Lora put her hand on the caterpillar's fleshy head.

"Poor Mothra," she muttered, about to cry. "Now who will save the Earth from Death Ghidorah?" Mothra Virgo let out a weak shriek, along with Battra.

_Prisoners of War_

Earth Operations Commander Darius Kugo was very strong and imposing for one of 70. No other Mysterian would dare challenge the six foot, 250 pound giant. His days as a line officer were long over but he still carried the scars of war. In his prime, he had led the first attack on humanity and lost his right eye jumping in front of Lord Koban's father, taking a piece of shrapnel. It had been replaced with a gleaming, golden bionic counterpart.

He had been a good friend of the previous King of the Mysterians and was devastated to learn that his ruler and comrade had been shot down by the human scum. His lust to see humanity's destruction now filled his every waking moment.

Lord Koban, on the other hand, didn't seem very concerned about his father's death. All he cared about was that their people were now his to control. Kugo hated him with all his heart. What a mockery of everything his father was! To suggest that this waste of flesh was in the same bloodline as his proud predecessor was revolting. The Mysterians were no longer a democratic society but under a cruel, oppressive ruler. However, Kugo stayed on the King's good side, which paid off in his current position.

The last few weeks had been a living hell with the invasion plans but Kugo never lost his resolve to overcome the opposition as he watched the kaiju battle on the screen before him end. Mothra was the first concern in the Mysterian siege. It no doubt would play a vital part in the planet's defense and having it out of the way would make the operation go much smoother. Now was a better time than ever to make their move on the titanic insect. Kugo rose and walked over to the communications screen. He pressed a button and a blue-clad Mysterian appeared and saluted. Kugo did likewise.

"General, I am ordering the MOGERA back to the base. It will not be needed."

"Yes, sir. But might I ask, how are we to defeat the monster and haul its carcass back with us?"

"You will be in no conflict with the Mothra. It is already very weakened."

"Then why don't we kill it and bring it back?"

"If you would shut your mouth long enough, I could finish! You will be capturing these little girls instead of fighting." Kugo pressed a button and a picture of the Elias riding on Fairy appeared on General Wato's screen. "Capture them and their moth and bring them back here immediately. But be careful. They are very small and fast so when you find them, retrieve them instantly. Understood?" The General looked at him with a quizzical expression and then asked why they should concern themselves with such small creatures. Kugo was beginning to wonder about the Mysterian who had replaced him before he finally spoke.

"These 'little girls', called Elias, will lead Mothra to the base. When it gets here, we will kill it and not have to worry about making a scene in front of the Earthlings."

"How -"

"No further questions! Just do it!" Kugo felt he had said enough and didn't bother telling the confused officer about the Elias' role in the scheme of things, despite the General's obvious ignorance. They exchanged salutes and their screens went blank.

As they lay amid the ruins of Sapporo, Mothra and Battra's gaze was suddenly diverted behind the Elias. Being lost in thought, the fairies didn't notice the swift arrival of three Mysterian ships. Everything went black until they heard Mothra shriek in surprise and anger before rolling over to its many tiny feet to race after them. But it was to no avail. Moll and Lora were being rocketed away by jet pack-equipped Mysterians. Mothra could only watch their ship shudder for a second, then blast off toward the north.

The lights temporarily blinded the Elias as the cover of their tiny prison was removed. When their sight returned, they saw a golden-suited being before them. They were in a white room with the only furnishings being a chair in which their captor sat and the table they had been placed on. The humanoid wore a helmet and goggles, totally hiding any expression it might have but they still felt its stare centered on them. When it began to speak, its voice startled the fairies.

"Greetings, my tiny friends. My name is Darius Kugo, Leader of Earth Operations."

"Fairy, now!" the Elias yelled in unison. Kugo merely chuckled.

"Your moth is not here but fear not. It is having the honor of being dissected by our top scientists." Moll and Lora's mouths hung open in shock.

"Who are you people?" spat Moll.

"We are the Mysterians. The race that will be conquering your Earth."

"Mysterians?" asked Lora. "You tried to take the Earth before!"

"I am flattered that you remember us. However, the outcome will be different. We have a better knowledge of you and the rest of the pathetic creatures that roam this planet. Defeat is not an option this time."

"You can't get away with this!" the fairies said in unison. "Mothra will come and destroy you." Kugo just laughed.

"That is exactly what I am hoping for. Your guardian is already very weak. There is no chance of it surviving an assault when it gets here. So call, call to Mothra! You will only bring it to a swifter demise!" Kugo stood up and approached the wall where he pressed a button and a viewscreen appeared, revealing a barren wasteland of snow and ice. "As an extra bonus, you two will be treated to watching said demise." On the screen, three openings in the ground expelled a MOGERA. Kugo walked toward the wall and a door slid open. Before he departed, he looked back at the Elias.

"Consider yourselves prisoners of war." He grinned beneath his helmet and walked out the door.

_Professor Erickson_

The huge auditorium in Nagoya was full of anxious people waiting for the featured speaker to make his appearance. It was rather chaotic but they seemed to quiet down when the Japanese Scientific Foundation's Chairman arrived in his blue tuxedo. Top scientists from around the world sat uneasily as Chairman Masahiro Masaki began to speak.

"I would like to introduce our guest speaker tonight," he began. "He is a professor at one of the largest colleges in the United States and has come very far to be with us." Masaki pointed toward the right side of the stage and he emerged. "I now present Professor Dale Erickson, the leading expert on the creature Mothra and the ancient Cosmos civilization!" The audience was ecstatic when he stepped behind the podium. The applause was so long that he had to raise his hands to quiet the crowd.

"Good evening, fellow scientists and news reporters from across the world," he began.

"By now, you all know of the sudden monster appearances. Death Ghidorah in Hokkaido; Battra, who is now undetectable, and the Gudis. However, I am here tonight to discuss Mothra, who has also appeared but is now gone from our radar. Are there any specific questions that you would like me to answer?" One of the scientists in the nearest row raised her hand.

"Do you suppose Mothra will attack a major city?" she asked. Professor Erickson smiled at the idea.

"No, Mothra is a monster of peace. It is very unlikely that she will raid a metropolis. In fact, she is most likely here to aid us against our enemies," he replied.

"Do you have any idea where Mothra might be?" another scientist queried from far back of the crammed auditorium.

"No, I have no idea. Mothra is a mystic monster and has often disappeared from our monitoring efforts. However, we do know that she is not on Infant Island," the Professor explained.

Many hours passed as the meeting went on. At about 11:30 P.M., the gathering finally broke up and Professor Erickson returned to his hotel to prepare for bed. He was known as the world's leading expert on Mothra yet he did not know what she was up to. He did know that she was on humanity's side and that gave him hope.

_MOGERA_

Mothra slowly crawled back up onto solid land. A blizzard had kicked up, making the freezing water dripping off her fatigued body feel like it was on fire. Who could possibly live in this no man's land? She could feel that the Elias were still alive as she crawled across the snow-covered ground and would try to find them, guided by their psychic connection.

Suddenly, powerful floodlights came on and the area was lit up bright as day. Mothra stopped and realized that she was not alone. She raised her head and looked into the lifeless eyes of a huge, gleaming creature. It stood absolutely still, staring straight ahead. Glancing to her left, she saw another of these behemoths and to her right, another. The sentinels didn't acknowledge her at all. Their diamond-shaped eyes were completely lifeless. As she continued towards the Elias, a loud, mechanical voice broke through the chilly night air.

"MOGERA!" roared one of the titanic metal creatures. She turned to see the first one staring at her, its once lifeless eyes now shining. Another of the construct's eyes lit up.

"MOGERA!" A battle cry came from the third. All three gazed at her and lurched forward, their huge feet heaving up mounds of snow and ice as they approached the tiny caterpillar. Mothra knew this was a challenge she was going to have to overcome to save her priestesses. She chirped and shot a strand of webbing at the lead creature and coated its chest plate. When finished, electricity surged across the metal. The machine stopped for a second to assess the attack, then continued its charge. Mothra fired her webbing full force in all directions. The other two followed the same pattern, feeling no pain from the sparks that were flying and firing their eye beams. Their force hurled her through the air, squealing in pain before slamming into the side of a mountain and bringing down huge sheets of ice.

The caterpillar quickly regained its footing and darted out of the way of more beams. Without warning, she disappeared from view. The MOGERAs scanned the area for any sign of the creature but it was nowhere to be seen. Mothra had cloaked herself with invisibility. The ruse couldn't be maintained long as too much energy would be required. Mothra snuck behind the confused mechs but knocked over a boulder. The MOGERAs snapped around at the noise, their eyes turning crimson as they switched to infrared, making her body heat easily detectable.

Mothra knew she had been discovered and darted across the ice, beams following her progress. One of the robots radioed a message to its counterparts and they diverted their attention to some overhanging ice above her. They focused their rays on the shelf which collapsed. The thundering noise of the avalanche blocked out Mothra's chirps of shock and pain as she was buried alive.

A MOGERA approached the icy tomb and shoved its giant pincher hand downward, gripping Mothra's tail and dragging her out. When it gained a better grasp on her, the robot slammed her into the mountain like a baseball bat. Mothra felt as if her exo-skeleton was being ripped from her body. Unconsciousness was like a warm bath whose waters the guardian was slowly slipping into as she thought of the Elias and the planet she had vowed to protect. Dear Mother Earth, I am so sorry I have failed you... Now, she would join her ancestors in eternal rest. But she was wrong.

The icy ground shook violently and cracked as a huge black creature dug itself out. The MOGERA holding her dropped its captive and turned with its counterparts to face this new target. Mothra fell with a thud and spotted Battra.

Seeing his fellow guardian hurry after the Elias, he knew he had to help her. The MOGERAs' computers quickly received information about their foe from the Mysterian's database before their eyes brightened and fired blasts of energy at Battra. While his carapace dulled the effects of the charges, they still left dents in his hide. The titanic black worm shot purple prism beams wildly in every direction from its horn, knocking over two MOGERAs and blowing a hole through the shoulder of one of them.

With renewed confidence, Mothra raised her body up and fired a chest beam at the back of the MOGERA that was still standing. Caught completely off guard, it toppled over. Caring not for their companion, the other two drilled into the ground and disappeared. Mothra and Battra continued to attack the downed one with their beams.

Battra received a rude surprise as the others shot upward. They hung in the air above him for a few seconds before letting gravity bring them crashing down on top of the horned creature. When they landed, they began to drill into his flesh with their nose drills, causing green blood to trickle out of the wounds. Battra couldn't get an opportunity to spring up as every time he tried, he was shoved down by the two mechs. At such a close range, the prism beams couldn't reach them. He tried once more to stand and was treated to a hit in the mouth but before the offending arm got out of range, he latched his mandibles onto it. The unthinking MOGERA pulled back and ripped its entire pincher off. Electricity sizzled and popped from the stump.

Battra spat the arm at its owner and head-butted the mech to the ground. With only one opponent holding him back, Battra raised his head up and fired. At point-blank range, the MOGERA had no chance. Its body came alive with sparks and explosions. When it fell, eruptions kept heaving its body up off the icy ground as spasms wracked its failing circuitry. Finally, its heat generators went into a meltdown and the war machine blew apart in a blinding flash of light.

The MOGERA with a hole through its shoulder focused its attention on Mothra with many eye beams aimed around the larva, shooting it into the air. She mustered up enough energy to fire a strand of electrically-charged webbing at its eyes. When it hit, the fragile beam ports burst open. The MOGERA was now blind and without its main weapon. Its computer brain overlooked the uselessness of its eyes and the machine went in for another attack based on heat emissions. Within seconds, its feet changed into wheeled treads. Mothra fired more strands across her foe, not knowing that this was what it wanted as it rocketed toward the source of the attack. The MOGERA scooped up the caterpillar in its pincher arms and wrestled her into a bear hug as it fired up its heat emitters. In no time, Mothra's broken and bruised flesh was seared with pain as the temperature quickly reached over one hundred degrees Celsius. No matter how much she struggled, the mech wouldn't let go. Mothra wriggled harder, trying to topple her mechanical adversary. At every attempt at unbalancing it, the MOGERA countered with more heat. However, she was slowly turning her captor around in the direction of the other one.

With her underside facing away from the mech's body, she turned the MOGERA into a perfect aiming device. A beam of blue energy fired from Mothra's chest at the other machine. It sped through the robot's dorsal fins and ripped up its back, exposing much circuitry. Seeing this, Battra rammed into the targeted area. With his horn in the mechanical monster, he charged it up. The MOGERA's body shook violently as the prism beams began to rip it apart from the inside out and its various systems shut down.

"MOGERA! MOGERA! MOGERA! MOGERA! MOG -" There was a tremendous explosion and when the sparks and smoke cleared, Battra's horn was clear of the mech and pieces of metal began to rain down from the sky.

While the remaining MOGERA gripping Mothra couldn't see the destruction of its brother, it no longer felt contact in its computer brain. The heat against her back was now sizzling her flesh but in her struggles, she had managed to slowly slip her body out of its grasp and her chest was completely covered by the two huge pinchers. She blasted her chest beam at full force and fell to the ground, rolling in the snow.

Her back was steaming! When she turned right-side up, a huge burn was visible. Now the MOGERA was blind and with no hands. It was all alone, or so it thought. Two giant doors opened in the side of the mountain. Inside, it was pitch black. A hideous roar sounded from within and footsteps approached the cave's entrance. Out into the floodlights came the hulking form of King Kong.

"Master, are you sure about this?" C'seris looked at his subordinate.

"Fear not, Elarkus. The Mysterians' technology, in most respects, is inferior to our own. I believe they may actually fear us. But there are other races in this solar system and they need all the help they can get." Elarkus was still nervous. C'seris turned to see Iodrakas loom out of the shadows and the cyborg advised that they were close to the surface. Elarkus' nervousness was not easing any, which was not to be tolerated. The Mysterians would not get a good image of a Viran with his beak chattering. C'seris went over to the ship's transport capsule's computer and tapped a few buttons. A small door opened and he pulled out something that looked like a soft ball made of a spongy material.

"Elarkus!" The Viran's head snapped toward him quickly.

"Y-yes?" The Commander's gaze, to his surprise, was warm and friendly.

"Eat this. For your nerves." Elarkus popped the object into his mouth and almost instantly, a wave of calm washed over him.

"Thank you, Master." C'seris nodded.

The vessel was soon in landing position and a large hatch opened for Viran Servant Machines (VSMs) to rush out. The portal quickly closed, leaving total silence for a few minutes. A terminal flashed to life, indicating that the Mysterians had made contact with them and were opening their Arctic facility. Iodrakas re-opened the hatch and activated a transporter beam. Every Viran in the cabin was enshrouded by it and a wave of heat washed over them. They were lifted off the floor and slowly lowered down into a waiting portal. C'seris, quite used to this, kept his eyes open. As he was at the front of the party, he saw a group of Mysterians, apparently led by Koban, waiting for them. The Virans descended into the well-heated building. The transporter beam slowly dissipated as the aliens touched down and the doorway closed. C'seris had ordered the capsule to remain in position and wait for their return. The Virans gripped the floor with their tentacles, slowly striding forward.

"Welcome to our North Pole facility," Lord Koban said. "Would you like a tour of our base?"

"Certainly. I hope our alliance will be fruitful." The doors to the receiving area closed when the Mysterians and Virans entered the 'lobby' where a huge portrait of Koban greeted them. "A tad vain, aren't you, my friend?" asked C'seris.

"Only if you aren't me," joked Koban.

"That makes a lot of sense." Both leaders chuckled and continued toward one of the many hallways leading to different parts of the gigantic base where they soon met up with General Kugo.

"Allow me to introduce the Leader of Earth Operations, ex-General Darius Kugo." He put extra emphasis on the 'ex'. "Kugo was in charge of our first assault against the Earth but as you no doubt know, things didn't go too well so we decided he was better suited for his present position. I am quite happy to say that he hasn't screwed this mission up... yet." Koban delighted in embarrassing the officer whenever he could, just to get the rush of commanding such a gigantic creature. How dare he talk of me in such a way! thought Kugo. I didn't see that degenerate losing his eye for his father! But Kugo remained calm and bowed to the visitors. "Now, my friends, I must leave you for I have pressing matters to attend to back on Mars."

"Oh?" asked C'seris. "I thought we could discuss the takeover..."

"Do not worry. We will be able to have much discussion later. For now, I will leave you to Kugo." Koban hurried off toward the hangar bay with most of the other Mysterians in the party. Seeing as he now had the floor, Kugo took over.

"Virans, if you would follow me, we will begin the tour." He marched ahead down a hallway. The white walls offered nothing appealing to the eye except for a door here and there marked with different signs. However, at one point was a rather large window with a door beside it. Through it, blue-suited Mysterians could be seen working on five different MOGERAs. Kugo approached the door and entered his code. Its computer blinked and clicked as it assessed its files before the door swung open. Inside, the warehouse had a strong smell of different metals and many loud noises of work in progress. Just enough lights were on so that the crews could work.

One Mysterian was working with the computer components at the top of a mech's head when it experienced an electrical surge that turned the machine on. A deafening MOGERA! echoed throughout the area, making both species grab their ears in pain. The technician fell off its head to the floor with a sickening crunch. A voice came over the intercom requesting a medic and within moments, the door swung open again and attendants carried the injured Mysterian away on a stretcher. Kugo was feeling rather awkward but started the presentation anyway.

"Here is where we assemble our war machines, the MOGERA."

"Is this all of them?" asked C'seris in a disgusted voice.

"Why, of course not," replied Kugo. He took a device that resembled a walkie-talkie from his belt and pressed a button. "Turn on the lights," he said into it. One by one, banks of lights came on and flooded the building which wasn't so small after all. It was MASSIVE. Behind where the repairmen were working stood hundreds of MOGERAs. The Virans were taken aback at the sheer number of them. "We have made them stronger, faster and smarter than the robots that originally aided us. Now, we don't have to guide their every move by remote control. We've given them a level of artificial intelligence that can determine what battle tactics to use. Basically, we give them the directive and they do the job. Once that is programmed into it, it is impossible for the MOGERAs to not carry out their mission unless told otherwise. They can be fed data through our central computer, such as weak spots in structures, information on opponents and so forth. Also, if more than one MOGERA is attacking and one thinks it has a plan that would assist them, it communicates it to its companions. From there, they will decide if the course of action would be effective and continue with or without changing their tactics. It seems like a long process but the 'conversation' barely takes seconds. Plus, they are ideal for terraforming."

"Most impressive," stated C'seris, coming out of his moment of awe. "But what if your robots decided to turn on you?"

"Impossible. They have no intelligence besides accomplishing the mission that is set forth for them. Unless someone gave the order for them to go on the offensive against us, the idea would never present itself."

"I see. Let's just hope nobody gains control of your computers."

"I highly doubt that will happen. Now, let's move on to our research facility." They proceeded down the hall and took a left toward one of many doors. The one marked RESEARCH was a huge two-story room with computers lining the walls. On their screens were different locations on Earth, pictures and details of kaiju and some just filled with numbers. Blue- and yellow-clad Mysterians worked at them, wrote down information on clipboards or performed various experiments.

"After our first plan to defeat the Earthlings failed, we decided to find out more about the planet. Over the years, we have compiled information on many of the human's activities and our biggest concern, kaiju. Every monster on Earth is in these computers with a file of its history, data and abilities. Think of one and I will show it to you."

"Gamera," piped up Elarkus. C'seris gave him a cold stare that sent a chill down his spine. Kugo seemed to have nothing to hide and entered a few codes in a terminal to bring up the file on Gamera.

"It is all here." He scrolled down the page to show the Virans when something caught his eye. He stopped for a fraction of a second and scanned over the part where it told of the Virans' defeat by the kaiju. He would have loved to get revenge for his previous embarrassment but remembered the alliance and closed the file to continue with the tour.

They soon came to two steel doors that read AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. Kugo punched his entrance code into the wall panel, followed by a voice recognition protocol. With a hiss, the doors opened and a rush of cool air hit the Virans. When everyone was inside, they sealed shut. The room was circular and mostly blue, interrupted by the blinking of yellow and red lights on the different computers and machines along the walls. In the center was a huge clear cylinder containing a leg with a clawed foot.

"Allow me to introduce you to the last existing piece of the Reptilicus species".

"What is a Reptilicus?" asked C'seris.

"The Reptilicus were a wonder of nature, a species of dinosaur-like creatures that had gained the amazing ability to completely regenerate any and all parts of their body that had been injured. In fact, this regeneration was so powerful that mere pieces severed from one would grow into a complete, new Reptilicus. However, the last of the species was killed in Denmark many years ago. But during its attack, this leg was severed from its body and fell into the ocean. We accidentally learned about it from stolen human records."

"Why didn't the leg grow into a new beast?" C'seris wondered.

"It was under water and therefore, the regeneration could not occur. We did not actually find it ourselves. We exchanged something the Kilaaks wanted for it."

"So now we are allied with them as well?" C'seris wondered.

"No. That was a one-time arrangement."

"I see. So tell me. Why don't you unleash this monster under your control?"

"That would be very complicated. While we do have the capability of controlling a Reptilicus, it is a relatively stupid animal. We do not want to run the risk of it losing pieces of itself and creating a whole new progeny to overrun the Earth. A sufficient portion of this animal can reach full growth in less than twenty-four hours. No, we would only allow it to grow as a very last resort. Plus, we are using it for experiments on how to cure our people. Worry not, though. We have a flesh and blood fighter that is far better than any Reptilicus. But that is a little later in the tour."

They returned to the hallway and Kugo escorted his guests around much of the base, leading the Virans through the great labyrinth. He showed them the hangar bay with their many space ships, the housing for the Mysterian workers and scientists, the weaponry, etc. They made a full loop of the place before ending up back at the hangar bay.

"Now I have a real treat for you. You decided to tour our base at a most opportune time. We have just captured very important prisoners of war. Come! We shall now go to the POW Camp." They boarded two shuttles and the doors in the ceiling opened for them to fly out.

The five-story POW Camp was three miles away from the base for safety reasons and the most heavily guarded of any Earth Operations facility. It was hidden in the side of a mountain and staffed by three hundred Mysterian guards. Two MOGERAs were positioned underground and could be called upon at a moment's notice. To enter the facility, one had to go through two checkpoints with DNA and retinal scans. The walls of the dome were reinforced with iron and nickel gathered from the purest meteors. There were thirty guards assigned to every prisoner.

Each cell was completely white and had no seams whatsoever. They were equipped with a toilet, bedding and two surveillance cameras. The door slid up from the floor to the ceiling and when anybody entered a cell, three guards accompanied them. Each prisoner followed a strict schedule and the only time they were allowed out of their cells was for exercise. If a prisoner was not where he was supposed to be, he would be shot - with no exceptions. The cell doors could also become transparent so the guards could check on their charges. Atop the dome covering the structure was a precision laser that could pinpoint any target within two miles. It made Alcatraz look like a petting zoo.

The shuttles by-passed the checkpoints for it was known that the Virans would be touring the facility, nor did they have to be subjected to intrusive searches when they arrived. The party was led directly to the fifth level and Cell 531. A guard pressed the appropriate buttons and the door became transparent. Inside were the Elias. Thinking that they had a pathway to freedom, Moll and Lora made a dash for the door, only to run into solid matter. At this, Kugo and the Mysterians roared with laughter.

"Virans, Elias. Elias, Virans," said Kugo. "These two fairies are priestesses of the Mothra beast, which I understand is locked in combat with some MOGERAs."

"We are tired of your games. Let us out!" the Elias screamed.

"Aren't they cute? Like little pets." The aliens howled with laughter. A guard came down the hallway towards the group with a tray and saluted Kugo.

"Chief Kugo. What shall I do with this?" he asked. On the tray was Fairy.

"Fool! That should have been sent to the Research Facility hours ago! Get it there immediately!"

"Yes, sir!" He saluted and ran off. Kugo sighed and continued.

"Well, my friends. We have one last stop to make before the tour ends. Let us head back to the base."

The central computer was a mammoth piece of technology that was hundreds of years ahead of any human equivalent, operated by voice command and with five screens. The center display was the largest, the flanking ones smaller and the end ones moreso. It was the most important piece of equipment Earth Operations had.

The three innermost screens all showed the final MOGERA in battle with Mothra and Battra get its arms blasted off by her chest beam. The worm crawled away and then turned to face it. The mech didn't have a chance of winning.

"I am glad to see that your robots can take down these creatures so easily," said C'seris with a snort.

"We did not expect to fight Mothra and Battra at the same time," Kugo countered. "If we did, we would have sent out more MOGERAs. It is time we reveal our champion."

"And who would this champion be?" asked the Master of the AZAG-THOTH.

"Kong." The computer had opened the doors to Kong's mountainside cave. A few moments passed and the ape wandered out onto the ice. Kugo snapped his fingers and blue-uniformed Mysterians brought the Virans appropriate seats to watch as the ape began his first battle test.

The name King Kong brings many thoughts to mind. It makes one think of the first creature to take down the mighty Godzilla; a strong, proud ape whose resolve was never broken in battle against man or beast. But that was the Kong of the past. The new Kong was not the king he once was. He had been taken from his home and subjected to horrible tortures no creature should ever be allowed to endure. His mind was driven to the brink of near insanity. His spirit was broken.

When the Mysterians had finally made Kong their slave, he was nothing but a cowering chimpanzee until they showed him true power. They would teach him how to dominate the world itself but only if he obeyed them. The creatures from beyond the Moon had fitted him with sleeves of an alloy which let him not only control lightning and harness its powers but gave him the ability to create it. Now, the King stood with his head high. He roared into the chilly air at the adversaries that stood in the way of his dominion.

A jolt of electricity shot through his body. The voices in his head told him to release it. Kong extended his arm and a blast of bluish-white fire raced across the landscape and blasted a hole in the ice. More electricity was supplied to him. He held up his arms and let the energy flow back and forth between his steel-covered hands in an arc.

Kong looked at the tiny brown worm. This disgusting creature thought it could stand in the way of his reign? The mere thought of it was ludicrous, asinine! Kong's fingers danced with electricity as he put his hands together and blasted a ray of energy at Mothra who took it head on. Her body wriggled in pain as Kong roared with laughter. He then noticed his other foe. This creature looked like an actual challenge.

He charged Battra with amazing speed and tackled him to the ground. Placing his palms on the black caterpillar, he shot out electricity but it only skidded and bounced off the hard carapace. Battra felt a twinge of pain and slammed his tail into Kong's head to topple the ape onto a fallen MOGERA. Enraged, Kong ripped the mech to pieces.

A beam of blue energy scorched across his chest from Mothra. Kong roared and sent another bolt of lightning at her. Once again, Mothra squealed in pain and shot through the air. Battra caught Kong off guard with prism beams that knocked him to the ground and leaped on top of him, pushing his face into the snow.

"Run!" he yelled to Mothra in kaiju speak.

"I am not abandoning you!" she called back, even as a prism beam blasted the ice in front of her.

"DO AS I SAY OR I WILL KILL YOU MYSELF!"

"Battra... "

"LEAVE US! He is too much for you to handle. Find the Elias. I will take care of this beast!" Mothra reluctantly headed toward the ocean. She took one final look at Battra as Kong jumped from the ground, throwing him off his back. Then she re-entered the icy water.

Battra was quick to get right-side up and blast the ape with beams from his horn but Kong was ready. He held up his massive alloyed arms like shields. Battra charged but he dodged the Black Moth and leapt on his back. He bucked violently as Kong tried to wrestle him into submission. Battra reared forward and snapped his tail. Kong wrapped his arms around his head and squeezed. It felt as if his head was going to burst open and he began to black out. Battra kicked and screeched and with only a few moments before unconsciousness overtook him, he leaped up and smashed the ape with his head. Kong let go and Battra fell to the ground, gasping for air. Kong leaped up as if nothing had happened.

Doesn't he ever stay down?Battra thought to himself. Kong made another lunge for the larva but it jumped out of the way and slammed him with its tail. The titanic humanoid flew through the air and was treated to prism beams before impacting the ice and creating a small crater. His eyes turned blood red as adrenaline flowed through his body. Kong punched the ground in frustration, then put his arms parallel from his body and ran at Battra like a locomotive.

Battra knew he couldn't let his foe wrestle him to the ground for he might not get up again because of the ape's strength. He concentrated his energy and blasted purple beams out of his horn with all the force he could muster. They hit the muscular arms and started pushing the beast back until Kong stopped altogether and pushed against the rays. The two were locked in position, trying to force the other off his feet. Kong took a shaky step forward and advanced. Battra squinted his eyes and forced the energy out of himself. It was actually hurting him to keep the giant ape from advancing.

Kong boosted the electricity surging through his body. Gathering more strength, he took a step forward, then another and another. He gained momentum and was soon walking, then running. Battra saw him coming and lost his will to keep firing. When the beams stopped, Kong charged. Battra braced himself as the ape tackled him and wrestled him into a headlock. Then he had an idea: This creature was nothing without those purple beams...

Kong grabbed Battra's yellow horn and began to squeeze with his vise-like grip. Battra sent prism beams shooting everywhere but because Kong's hands were covered with the alloy, he wasn't the least bit deterred. He pulled the great black head back and his grip tightened even more. Finally, Kong tugged and ripped away Battra's horn from its roots. Strands of flesh hung from the yellow monstrosity. Battra's eyes turned bright red in shock, pain and fear all at once. He went crazy and slung his head around like a madman, turning the ice green with his blood as Kong beat his chest in triumph. He held the horn like a javelin and aimed for the caterpillar. It flew through the air, impaling him. Battra fell to the ground in spasms as pain engulfed his entire being. The ape approached, seemingly unfazed by the battle and grabbed the horn, slicing it along the red- and black-colored back. The hard carapace split like a lobster's shell and green blood coated Battra like paint. Kong pulled out the horn and put his hand in the wound, sending electricity surging through raw flesh. Battra screamed in pain as Kong brought his face to the side of the insect's head.

"Leave your horn, beast. I now own it. I will let you live, for you will be my messenger. Never forget where the scars of this battle came from. The injuries inflicted upon you will be paradise compared to what I will do to this world. Go back to where you came from and spread the word. King Kong is alive and he has this pathetic planet in the palm of his hand. Now leave my sight, vermin! You are sickening me!" Battra stumbled to his feet, coughing up blood as he looked at the beast standing before him. An attack against Kong now would be suicide.

Slowly, Battra trekked toward the Arctic Ocean. The dark water was so cold on his wounds that it burned. He cared not where he swam to as long as it was far away from Kong. On the shore, the monster reared his head back and shook the very ground with his roars. The King was back.

_The Murder of Sar'rious_

When Ken'trus had returned from his meeting with his new allies, he sought out Sar'rious to take care of one final detail that needed to be remedied. "What is it now, Ken'trus? You know how busy I am," the Controller asked in an almost aggravated tone as Number Two entered his office.

"There has been a change of plan, sir."

"And what would that be?"

"This." Ken'trus drew his sidearm and shot his superior officer through the chest, much to the old Xian's shock and surprise. "You are an outdated fossil and it is time for you to expire." Despite his injury, Sar'rious found himself fueled with rage as he drew his own weapon, only to have Ken'trus use his telekinesis to wrench it from his hand and fling it across the room.

"What now, old fool?" Ken'trus smirked as his former master rushed up to engage him in hand-to-hand combat. For his age, Sar'rious was still a fearsome warrior, one who could hold his own against anyone on any battlefield in most respects but against Ken'trus' Kaiser-assisted strength and speed, he was no match. The young Xian effortlessly dodged or blocked every attempted strike made by the Controller, sporting a smug grin all the while.

When Ken'trus felt that he had allowed Sar'rious to embarrass himself long enough, he ended the altercation with another display of Kaiser power, a telekinetic punch that put Sar'rious hard into the wall. He got back up and attempted another swing as his subordinate walked toward him but Ken'trus caught his arm and snapped it at the elbow joint. Sar'rious winced and swung his other arm, only to have it caught by Ken'trus' left hand before thrusting his right out to clasp tightly around the elder Xian's neck. The young Xian put a stiff Kaiser-boosted kick into his right kneecap, dislocating it as he forced him to his knees.

"Once again I find myself looking down at you, Sar'rious, but this time, the circumstances are different. Your emotional weakness and frailty will no longer taint our race and I shall see our people attain the glory they and myself have so rightfully deserved for so long."

"You are the fool, Ken'trus. You are the one who is weak and frail and your quest for power will lead to your own demise," Sar'rious grunted through his pain.

"No, old man. It is your demise that is upon you, not mine. And with my new comrades in arms, I will barely have to break a sweat."

"Whatever plans you have made, they will fail. He who rules with power alone will fall by it."

"And he who is a coward shall fall far sooner. You know nothing and are nothing. I have surpassed you. I am the Controller now. Goodbye, Sar'rious," Ken'trus growled with contempt, breaking the former Xian leader's neck and letting him slump over onto the floor.

"The new age of our people now begins," Ken'trus proclaimed, tilting his head upward with a smile.


	6. Turning Point

_King Karkaru_

Fumio Subo paced the floor at the Nebulan base alone, having ordered his crew out of the control room so that he could think in peace. His mind was in tumult and his nerves shot, making the peace he sought impossible. The worry which now plagued him was caused by the Kilaaks' recent actions in Japan. It seemed in his mind - and rightly so - that their decision to activate the Pacific Rim volcanos went against their agreements under the alliance they had formed.

The deal was, Fumio recalled, that the Nebulans and Kilaaks would share the world together and live in harmony. The Nebulans, with their sad history, were desperate to live on Earth the way they were meant to, not subject to 'superior' species, nor trying to make ends meet on a dying planet, but rather to flourish in a world of peace, unity and pacifism. The Kilaaks were also in need of a new home and had reasoned that if they gave the Nebulans the help and technology they required creating this world of peace, all the metal beings would ask in return was the right to live peacefully amongst the volcanos and hot springs of the planet. Their terms were acceptable and an alliance was forged.

But this activating of volcanos was uncalled for! Fumio had agreed that they could have the volcanos but nothing about activating each and every one of them! And as far as he knew, they hadn't yet established a permanent base on the planet in any of them. If the Kilaaks kept this up, the Earth would soon become an inhospitable boiling pot of lava and the Kilaaks knew his people couldn't survive in such conditions!

Fumio was determined to speak with King Karkaru immediately but every time he tried to contact him, he was put on hold. He was becoming more worried by the minute. What were they planning behind his back? Why had they not first consulted him about the volcanos? Why were they seemingly reluctant to answer his pleas for communication? He hadn't spoken to Karkaru since they had destroyed the Moon Base, another act done without Nebulan oversight. Fumio suddenly wondered with a chill if his outburst against the Kilaaks when King Ghidorah went rogue had anything to do with this apparent act of treason.

Even so, this was most irregular. Their initial plans were that Fumio would use politics, lies and trickery to break down the world's governments. In order to achieve this, he had to forge a fictitious alliance between mankind and the undersea kingdoms. Surely, a man trying to unite the entire planet would have nothing to do with world domination! Of course, everyone would be suspicious at first - that was expected - but after seeing Fumio in action, ridding humanity of Godzilla and pacifying the undersea nations with the surface dwellers, they would accept him and his race as a friendly comrade. Nevertheless, he insisted on his species wearing human-based disguises. Mankind would take a warmer approach to aliens who looked similar to themselves. That aside, it was almost necessary that they sometimes employ human 'hosts' - usually deceased ones - as humanoids proved most useful in their physical structure and opposable digits.

On the other hand, it had been decided that the Kilaaks would go on the offensive, directly attacking the Earth and diverting mankind's resources while the Nebulans slowly broke down their alliance from within. With both races working against the planet's inhabitants employing two different strategies, humanity was sure to fall under their combined might.

Fumio was about to give up on his latest attempt to contact the Kilaaks when a holographic image appeared in front of the Nebulan leader. It was Karkaru, dressed in his signature golden armor. "You requested my attention and now you have it. What do you want, Fumio?" Karkaru's voice was unusually sinister.

"I want to know why you have gone against our agreement. I am most disturbed by this volcanic activity your people are stirring up. You said you would simply -"

"I do not have time to listen to your complaining, Fumio. If you remember, we agreed that I would be handling the military side of things. The loss of King Ghidorah has forced me to change my initial plans. He will still aid us in destroying humankind as well as the other aliens but I am afraid that he will also attack us as well. The actions I took were in the greatest interest to our course of operations. You may not yet understand this but I assure you we are not acting against you in any way." The Kilaaks's voice trailed off as he said something inaudible to one of his crewmen.

"But the volcanos... They -"

"They are only a demonstration of our power," Karkaru interrupted. "We both agreed that we must first scare the humans away from their ideas of bravery and hope. And we also decided that Japan must die so I have made provisions for it to be wiped from the face of the Earth... forever. The volcanos we have activated will do just that but they will not negatively effect the planet otherwise. It has survived much worse in its ancient past than what we are doing to it now." The Kilaak king's eyes flashed, something Fumio had only seen several times during his negotiations with Karkaru, especially when considering the conquest of the Earth. It always happened when he made a deal that benefited the Nebulans but caused an air of suspicion in Fumio's mind.

"If you do not trust me, then so be it," Karkaru declared as if reading the insectoid's thoughts. "Our people need to work together to take this planet. I suggest that we keep this feud between the two of us. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a matter to attend to." With that, the Kilaak disappeared and left Fumio even more confused than when the conversation had begun.

_Rescue_

The dark obsidian clouds thickened over the island of Hokkaido. It seemed as though all light from the outside world was cut off from the place. The demon responsible for this was Death Ghidorah who still trampled through the remaining forests of the mountainous terrain. He had managed to obtain enough energy from the Earth to sprout a pair of giant, dragon-like wings. He could now wreak havoc on the planet and conquer it faster than ever before. He also didn't have Mothra, Battra or Biollante to stand in his way and was determined to fulfill his terrible intent. The dark creature trumpeted his low growling roar, then flew southward toward the center of Japan and the island of Honshu.

Belvera sat upon her steed, Garu Garu, staring off into the distance as her demon puppet flew off toward the horizon. Suddenly, the dark fairy's moment of triumph transformed into one of sheer horror. She felt a sharp, unbearable pain in her head. Belvera clutched the Seal of Elias close to her until the pain went away. Looking around, she seemed to be back to normal but could barely remember what had just happened. Her memory was restored when she gazed upon the landscape below which was nothing but charred, fiery hills and forests. Belvera gasped at the sight and felt ashamed of herself for letting her mind become vulnerable to Gudis, the demon that had possessed her.

She knew that Gudis had tried to kill her after he was finished with her but the Seal of Elias had protected her since it had the ability to harness 'Universal Energy'. She had used it as a shield against him. However, she was still haunted by his last words that echoed in her mind.

You are not worth destroying! After I am done with this planet, you and your pathetic Mothra will beg for death before the end comes! Gudis had said telepathically. Belvera shuddered and closed her eyes. However, her great courage soon took over and she knew that she had more important things to do, like saving her captured sisters. Since the trio was bound through the Elias Triangle, she could sense their location and condition. Time was of the essence and she could not let them be killed or tortured. She had no idea what the Mysterians might have in store for them.

"Garugaru!" she shouted as she kicked the mechanical beast's side, commanding him to fly. Foresight was among her mental abilities but she did not wish to see the outcome of things. Was she flying to her doom or to the rescue of her sisters?

At long last, Belvera reached the North Pole. It had been miserable flying through the frigid air but saving her sisters was her top priority and she was not going to let a little cold weather stop her. She could not help but notice a dark figure down below. It appeared to be a large ape-like monster she had never seen before. There were green bloodstains on the snow near its feet and a large yellow mass beside it. Belvera focused her vision and noticed that it was Battra's horn. She instantly knew that the two monsters had battled here and the ape had obviously prevailed. Belvera decided to find her sisters immediately.

At the POW Camp, everything seemed quiet. The guards were re-watching Kong's battle with Battra, obviously amused by the torture the ape had wrought upon the insect. Up on the fifth level, Commander Kugo and a couple Mysterian guards stood in front of the cell which held the Elias. Kugo had ordered them to tie the two fairies up so they would not be able to escape. They also had on anti-psi helmets to prevent them from using their mental powers. Lora was so upset she was nearly in tears. However, Moll tried to think of a way out of their situation.

"Moll, they are keeping us from contacting Mothra and I can't sense her!" Lora frantically mumbled. It was very rare for the Elias to be telepathically separated from Mothra. In fact, the mere thought of it was overwhelming. "These dumb Mysterians! They are even going to kill Fairy!" the priestess hollered.

"Calm down. We need to think of a way out of here," Moll reminded her. Suddenly, one of the small air duct covers in the ceiling fell to the floor, startling them. To their surprise, Belvera and Garu Garu appeared in the opening.

"Belvera! What are you doing here? It is too dangerous!" Moll whispered. Garu Garu flew down to the twins with his master perched on his back. Landing next to them, Belvera climbed down and used her sword to cut their restraints.

"The world is in grave danger," she informed them. "Gudis abandoned his control over me and now that he has direct control over Death Ghidorah, the Seal of Elias won't work."

"Where are Mothra and Battra?" Lora asked as she removed her helmet. Belvera sighed and stared down at her feet.

"Battra, I think, was mortally wounded by an ape monster. As for Mothra, she is near but out in the ocean," Belvera explained as she helped her sisters. Unfortunately, as the trio of fairies went to climb onto Garu Garu, the cell door opened and Commander Kugo stepped inside.

"Ahh, another fairy. This is our lucky day," he grinned.

"You stupid idiot! Let us out of here now or else!" Lora hollered. Kugo just laughed at the little lady.

"My, my. Aren't you a rowdy little thing. Perhaps we should put you in a cell of your own." He signaled two guards to apprehend her but before they could do so, a wave of energy slammed into them from behind, causing the trio to fall to the floor. The Elias stared at the open doorway but nothing was there. Suddenly, Moll felt something touching her shoulder and swung around. To her surprise, a male about her height was standing behind her. She was astonished to see two more male fairies standing behind Lora and Belvera.

"Are you...?" Moll began to ask. The trio had a little smirk on their faces and nodded.

"Yes, we are part of the Doubijin. We are the male version of the Shobijin. However, in short we are referred to as the Anari, as you three are called the Elias," they all said in unison.

"Why have you returned? We have not seen any Doubijin for thousands of years..." Lora wondered with a bit of anger in her voice since the Elias distrusted their male counterparts.

"We have no time to sit and converse. We saved your Fairy Mothra so now you have the opportunity to escape," the one behind Moll explained. The tiny insect flew into the cell and landed beside her dear companions. Lora happily petted her which caused much chirping and purring. She then allowed the twins to climb upon her back so that they could leave.

"Thank you," Moll said kindly as she gazed upon their male counterparts who disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived. Fairy then flew up into the air duct with Garu Garu following close behind. The Elias could only wonder about their brothers whom they had not seen for many, many years. Their path grew lighter as they neared the vent that led outside. Quickly, they were away from the POW Camp and flew off into the cold night sky above the North Pole. The Elias were reunited and safe. Now they had the task of finding their Goddess, Mothra, and helping her heal her wounds.

Mothra Virgo's brown body floated in the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean. Her vision was blurred and she did not have the strength to continue. Her heart was at rest once she could sense the Elias again so she knew that they were safe. She really wanted to return to the battle and aid Battra if he had survived but could not sense his life signs very well as they were extremely faint.

Bravely, the larva straightened out and tried to swim back toward the north but her wounds were so severe that she barely covered several meters. Darkness was taking the innocent creature and she was near death.

The Elias flew high above the North Pole Base, trying to stay out of harm's way. All three fairies were still confused about their encounter with the Doubijin and could not figure out why they had suddenly appeared after so many years of mutual distrust, aided them and then vanished.

"I wonder why they saved us?" Moll whispered as she gazed toward the dark horizon.

"Don't know, don't care. I never really liked them," muttered Belvera as she twiddled her thumbs.

"Maybe they wish to embrace reunification," Lora thought. Moll nodded at the logic of this.

"Or they recognize that the Earth is in danger and sent Battra. However, they never cared for us after we separated thousands of years ago. I doubt after spending that long a time away from us that they would wish to reunite," Moll figured as she massaged her cold skin. Suddenly, she brightened but was somewhat saddened as well. She could sense Mothra's cry for help. "Lora! Mothra is calling out to us. She's dying..." she whispered, concentrating her gaze into the dark night. Belvera shrugged her shoulders and sighed.

"Well, I guess you are going to sing some song or something," the dark fairy muttered as she plugged her ears.

"Belvera, shut up. At least we CAN sing!" retorted Lora.

"What makes you think *I* can't sing?" Belvera asked sarcastically as she sat up straight and stared at her. Lora sighed because Belvera was just kidding and rather enjoyed hearing her sisters' melodies. She always thought that she couldn't sing in front of them because it might be seen as a sign of weakness on her part. However, that was expected from a fairy who bore the trait of courage. Moll really was the only one taking the situation seriously, which was usually the case.

"Will you two stop this petty bickering and whining? Look what is going on around you! We need to heal Mothra so that she may be able to stop all this!" Moll hollered as she turned around and stared at her sisters. "Lora, I need your help. We must heal Mothra," she demanded. Lora nodded. However, she doubted Mothra's powers, especially in her larval form. She stood up on Fairy while Moll remained sitting as they began to sing The Song of Prayer.

_Ala alaya waransara Mosura _

_Iba hati hatinnbaya _

_Kama ya kumo garansaya manitu _

_Duma chupa churin ga gamo _

_Waku wakumo ganyan kita Mosura _

_Tiika sama sayanncha ri _

_Wara kai tu kasa hayan dariko _

_Iba dua dua suntiri_

When the song was finished, Moll and Lora smiled as they sensed Mothra's power level rising.

The beautiful melody echoed in Mothra's mind and she could feel strength building within her. Her wounds began to heal and soon she was back to normal. She raised her body in the water and screeched, thanking her dear priestesses for saving her.

Battra, if you can hear me, I am coming to help you the insect muttered as she began to swim confidently toward the North Pole.

At the North Pole Base, the Mysterians grew uneasy at the approach of Mothra. She was angry and now that the Elias had escaped, they had the ability to heal the insect.

"Commander, Mothra will reach Kong's location in about three minutes," one of the officers advised.

"Order Kong to attack her as soon as she reaches land," Kugo ordered as he watched the screen that displayed his location. He sat back in his chair and snickered, looking forward to seeing Mothra's final destruction.

King Kong carefully scanned the ocean beyond the ice shelf but could not see any sign of Mothra. However, that all changed when the caterpillar appeared about three hundred meters in front of him. She had used her camouflaging ability to conceal her approach but now she was back and ready to fight. Kong was not intimidated by the insect's confidence and thought that her arrogance would lead to her destruction. He leaned forward and gazed at the deity.

Back for more, Princess Pipsqueak?

What did you do to Battra? Where is he? Mothra screeched when she noticed the green bloodstains on the snow around the ape and caught a glimpse of his horn.

Your little friend is probably already dead. He now knows not to mess with me. I have a feeling, Mothra, that you are going to make the same mistake that he did Kong replied telepathically.

"Think what you want but I am not going to let you commit this sort of act again," the insect muttered in her fluent kaiju speak. She used her body as a spring and leaped forward. Kong was expecting an attack and swatted the caterpillar away. Mothra fell onto the ice like a rock but immediately recovered and stood up on her lower body, releasing a sizzling blast of blue energy from her chest. The crackling essence lanced into Kong's body and tossed him backwards into the snow.

The ape's eyes widened with surprise. It seemed as though Mothra's beam had grown stronger since their last battle but this did not deter him. He knew that this kaiju wasn't the best at hand-to-hand combat and would use that knowledge to his advantage. Kong rose and held out his hands. Sheets of electricity danced from his fingers and seared into the larva's body. The intense force from the attack flung her high into the air. When Mothra hit the ground, she rolled up into a ball as Kong stared at her, thinking she was frightened or something. However, that was not the case as she rolled across the snow towards him. Kong easily dodged her first pass but the more she rolled, the more speed she gained and on her return, scored a direct hit to his side, causing the ape to stagger backwards.

Kong regained his footing and glanced at the larva who was readying for yet another pass. This time, he caught the rolled-up worm in mid-air and sent charges of electricity surging through his hands and into her body. As Mothra squealed in pain, Kong grasped onto her tail and smote her body against the ground several times. After that, he threw her away from him and waited for the insect to get up.

"Mothra!" Lora whimpered as she watched the battle alongside her sisters. The loving priestess could not bear to watch her suffering.

"Do not worry. Mothra knows what she is doing," Moll assured her.

"At least we hope she does," Belvera interjected. Moll glanced at her with an irritated look on her face, then focused her attention back on the battle.

"Mothra, I know you can do it," she whispered under her breath.

As Kong approached, Mothra did not move or twitch. It was as if she was dead. Kong moved in closer and when he was near enough, she swung her body around like a bat and slammed her tail into his legs, causing him to topple over like a giant tree. She then regained her stance and screeched over the small triumph.

Again, Kong rose to his feet and roared malevolently at his nemesis who seemed to be toying with him. He could not figure how this pathetic worm could be standing up against him this well. His bewilderment was broken when Mothra leaped towards him. He made a fist and punched the larva out of the air, knocking her back onto the ground where he began punching and kicking her. Mothra could feel terrible spasms of pain erupting in her body as Kong continued the vicious assault.

Out of ideas, Mothra lifted her head up and spat several strands of silk from her mandibles directly into Kong's eyes. He staggered around and tried to hit her with his metallic fists but Mothra had backed away. Putting his hands together, he released a large blast of lightning directly at the larva. Fortunately, when he released it, Mothra engaged her chest beam and both forms of energy locked with each other.

Both kaiju tried their hardest to release more and more energy into their rays until a colossal explosion erupted between them. Mothra was tossed all the way out into the ocean from the powerful blast and Kong was flung back into a large mountain, causing a great avalanche. He was in much pain from the explosion and buried under so much snow that he could not move.

Out in the water, Mothra surfaced slowly and chirped painfully. She was severely injured but used what strength she had left to swim off into the darkness. She knew that Kong was not defeated and she had to get away as fast as she could before he dug himself out of his snowy resting place.

The Elias cheered excitedly and followed their goddess. Now, all that was on their minds was Mothra's next destination.

"Where is Mothra going, to Infant Island?" Lora asked as she sighed with relief.

"No, she is going to Yaku Island in the Kagoshima Prefecture. Southern Japan," Moll explained with a smile on her face.

"You mean she is going to change into her adult stage?" Lora also smiled in anticipation.

"For heavens sake! Use your mind. Of course she is!" Belvera hollered. Moll smiled at her sister's bickering.

"We are not done yet, my sisters. The journey is just beginning," the wise fairy assured them as they continued to follow Mothra.

As Mothra Virgo swam further from the North Pole, she looked up at the beautiful Northern Lights that blazed across the sky. The shimmering aurora formed into the image of her mother, Mothra Leo, who spoke to her.

Well done, my daughter. The world rests in your hands now Mothra Virgo's sapphire eyes glistened with tears as her mother's words echoed in her mind. A great new confidence grew within her heart as she began to swim as fast as she could toward the island that would make her own metamorphosis possible.

_King Koban_

Lord Koban had just finished his second meeting of the day, having traveled to the North Pole Base and then back to Mars. In some respects, he wished that he had been a part of the Viran tour. On the other hand, Kugo knew more about the base than he did. While the subject of his ex-General was on his mind, he remembered him being brought up in the meeting and was about to call him when the intercom chimed.

"Lord Koban. Commander Kugo wishes to speak with you," said a female secretary.

"Send him in." He was a little surprised as the door panel slid upwards, revealing the huge form of the Mysterian. Kugo's head nearly hit the top of the door frame as he entered.

"Darius. How did the tour go?" he asked.

"The Virans seemed very pleased with our preparations, sire. Their leader wishes to speak with you again later today."

"I will be sure to contact him. And Kong?"

"He gave Battra and Mothra a sound thrashing before they were both forced to retreat. I would say that it was a more than adequate test of the giant ape's performance."

"Mothra is still alive? Why did Kong not finish her?" Koban exploded.

"Sir, he was temporarily immobilized by an avalanche, allowing the larva to escape."

"This is unacceptable! I wanted Mothra killed before it could transform!"

"My Lord... The injuries the creature received were most grievous. It barely had enough strength to crawl away before slithering back into the freezing waters of the Arctic Ocean. I am sure it will more than likely die at sea," Darius reasoned.

"You had better be right! It is bad enough that you allowed the fairies to escape us! Now, on to other matters..."

"Just a moment, my Lord. If I may, I would like to bring up one question before you begin."

"Very well..." Koban sighed at the prospect of having to answer them. He noticed the time and pressed the intercom.

"TARA! It is four o'clock and I am still without my evening meal!" Soon, a clatter of footsteps and dishes was heard in the hall. The door panel slid up and Tara, out of breath, walked over to the head of the meeting table and sat a tray down in front of Koban.

He turned to hurl a string of insults at her when his hand accidentally knocked over his glass and plate, sending them crashing to the floor. His teeth clenched and his fists balled in rage. The irate king raised a hand to slam it down on the table when in mid-air, he stopped. It was as if he told himself to calm down and his expression changed to a more passive one as he slowly lowered his fist.

"Tara," he asked smoothly. "Do you delight in making a fool of me?"

"Of course not, my Lord," she replied in a trembling voice. She knew a physical attack was coming and his appearance could not deceive her. Over the years, she had grown to accept it as punishment for her misdeeds. She thought herself a bumbling fool, not fit for the Mysterian King to call her his wife.

Tara was so blinded by the years of constant abuse that she had no idea that the madman she called a husband - the man she tried her hardest to please and keep satisfied - in reality was keeping her around just to say he had the best-looking wife. Koban raised his hand to strike her when Kugo spoke up.

"My Lord. Don't you think you are acting a bit rash? After all, I am sure she will clean it up..."

"You stay out of this! It does not concern you!" Koban roared. Tara hadn't moved from her rigid pose, her eyes squinting as Koban smacked her with enough force to bring her to her knees. Once down, he grabbed her by the hair and shoved her face in the spilled food.

"Clean it up," he seethed. Then he walked her to the door with her hair still in hand and opened it. Tears flooded out of Tara's tightly-closed eyes. Don't scream she thought to herself. It will be over soon The door slid open and Koban slung her into the opposite wall. "NOW GET IT RIGHT!" he roared. Although the door slid shut at its normal speed, Tara felt as if it was slamming with the force of her husband's anger. The secretary was wide-eyed with shock. She glanced at Tara and then pretended to be doing some paperwork. Using the wall for support, Tara went down the hall to fix Koban's dinner.

"My Lord! She didn't even do anything! She is your wife, Koban, not some slave..."

"That's right! She is my wife and I will treat her as I please! Don't forget that I am the King!" Koban shoved his finger in the direction of his red helmet lying on the table.

"But she is the mother of your son!"

"Correction. She WAS the mother of my son." Kugo's eyes widened and his mouth hung open for a second.

"What do you mean?" The question was nearly a whisper.

"My son was killed yesterday. He was too deformed so he had to go. You know the rules."

"Bu-bu-but THAT WAS YOUR SON! Have you no compassion?"

"I can not and will not have my perfect society ruined just because that thing had my blood running through it."

"Perfect society? PERFECT SOCIETY? When your father was alive, THAT was a perfect society. People live in fear of you, Koban! I know your ways. I learned them as I watched you growing up. As I trained you. You hated yourself, remember? You hated all our kind and if it were not for your father dying, you would have killed yourself out of utter disgust for your own people! You only seek power, Koban, and nothing more. Do not think you can hide it from me!"

"Don't mention that fool in my presence ever again! Look at where trying to cope with the humans got him! He was sent running back into space with his tail between his legs before being blasted out of the sky! The imbecile was unprepared and stupid and that's what cost him his life! We will not back down while I am alive! We will fight and obliterate every one of them!" Koban stopped ranting and stared at his officer. "What has happened to you, Darius? Have you grown soft on them?"

"You know I want nothing more than for them to suffer. But I don't want our people to go through the same thing!"

"And if I do not relent, what will you do? Challenge me?" Just then, Tara came through the door with a new tray of food, her face red after having to recall the order and get the cooks to prepare it. "GET OUT OF HERE!" Koban yelled. She dropped the tray in fright and ran out the door just as a glass smashed against the wall.

Kugo's rage couldn't be contained any longer. He raced to the end of the board room table and tackled Koban to the floor. He wrestled the Mysterian king into submission and raised his fist but before he followed through, he felt something poking him in the side. It was the barrel of Koban's blaster.

"Get off me or I will kill you right now." The words were firm but had a hint of fear in them. Kugo came to his senses and looked down at the face that mere seconds ago could have had every bone in it broken. What was he doing? Surely, this would warrant a shooting. Maybe he could get away in time... "One last chance for you to get off of me." Slowly, Kugo stood up and backed toward the door. "Do not think of fleeing, Darius, or I will shoot you where you stand. You are probably wondering why you weren't shot a thousand times over already. General Wato was killed when a meteor smashed through the hull of his ship. Seeing as time is of the essence and I have no other qualified replacement, I am offering you back the position of General." The words were said as if he was spitting out sour milk. How he wished he could have pulled the trigger! Koban thought as he reached beneath the table and grabbed a yellow-hilted sword and threw it at Kugo with enough force to make the giant Mysterian stagger. "Now get out before I change my mind."

Kugo was stunned for a few seconds. He stared at the gun and then the sword. Quickly and quietly, he marched out the door. He was about to head back down the hall when he heard crying behind him. He turned and saw Tara sitting on a bench with her face buried in her hands. Kugo went over and sat down beside her, looking over at the secretary.

"Would you excuse us?" he asked in a stern tone. As if she had just noticed the girl, the secretary gathered some papers and disappeared down the hall.

"Commander Kugo?" asked Tara, looking up at him in surprise. Her eyes were red with tears and she really didn't know what else to say. Neither did Kugo. He opened his mouth but quickly shut it. Thousands of ideas were racing through his mind but he couldn't find a way to express them.

"Hello, Tara," he finally said.

"What did Lord Koban want?"

"He is being the angry tyrant he always is. I tried to set him straight but he pointed a blaster at me and that was that. I did get promoted to General so I should stay alive until he plans to kill me." He handed Tara the sword which she pulled out and watched the light glint off its edges. It was a magnificent piece of weaponry and a great symbol of a most prestigious rank.

"I hope I did not start your fight..."

"You were the reason we got into it but do not worry. I don't hold you accountable for anything. I just hate to see him treat you that way. You are a very special person, Tara. Don't let him make you feel any different."

"But he will kill me!" She began sobbing again so Kugo wrapped his arm around her and let her cry into his shoulder. She was telling the truth, he realized. Koban would kill ANYBODY at any time. Why did he feel so much for her then? Why did he care at all? Could it be that he actually loved her? It sure seemed that way...

"Tara, I am sure that I can work something out." He knew that was near impossible but he had to comfort her. "Come by my office some time and we can have lunch or just talk, whichever you prefer." She looked up from her wet yellow shirt.

"I would like that," she said, smiling.

"Now that is what I like to see. A smile."

"I better get back to work, General. I will talk to you later."

"One more thing," he said. "Call me Darius."

"All right then... Darius. Goodbye." She got up and began to walk down the hall but stopped and rushed back to the bench. Tara tried to say something but instead, she leaned down and gave Kugo a kiss. Shocked by her actions, she stood up and quickly ran down the hall.

_Transformation_

It was still very early in the morning in Nagoya when Professor Erickson was awakened by the ringing telephone on his night stand. It startled him but he quickly answered it.

"Professor! Urgent news!" a woman frantically shouted on the other end.

"Well, what is it?" he mumbled as he leaned against the headboard.

"It is Mothra. She has been sighted just outside of Tokyo Bay."

"Where is she headed?" Erickson was now fully awake.

"South-southwest, toward Kagoshima Bay."

"Get me a helicopter immediately! I shall be waiting here." He slammed the phone down and took a deep breath, trying to regain his sense of composure after waking up so quickly. Calls at odd hours often happened due to his line of work; however, he had been waiting for one like this for over ten years. Of all the chaos that took place around the world, the idea of Mothra transforming settled his heart and reminded him that the Earth was indeed a wondrous place.

In all his life, he still had not actually seen Mothra and here he was, an expert on her. Even though he was still in his early thirties, Dale Erickson believed he was very good at his work and thought of this opportunity as truly a gift for doing so well.

Standing up, Erickson caught a glimpse of his daughter's portrait he had placed on his night stand. The ebony-haired half-Japanese 18-year old smiled brilliantly back at him even in the night, her smile reminding him of his wife. It was hard for him to believe that they were so far away.

Wakkanai City was the northernmost point of Japan but it was a quiet out-of-the-way place. Erickson knew that they were living in a dangerous world and luckily for his family, he had been conducting an experiment over the previous dozen years in order to preserve his daughter and wife's memories if something should ever happen to them.

As he prepared to pack and leave his hotel, a small, yellow, crumbled paper fell from his pocket into his suitcase. He picked it up and unwrinkled it, making a sound as irritating as sandpaper on a chalkboard. It was addressed to his family, mainly his daughter, Arwen. Carefully he skimmed the note:

_Dear Erickson Family, _

_With great pleasure I would like to inform you that there is an opening in one of our classes. Miss Arwen Erickson is more than welcome to join our studies and meet me for guidance training._

_Before admitting her, it is best for us all to meet again and discuss the information that will be taught. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me._

_Sincerely, _

_Miki Saegusa _

_- Guidance Counselor, ESP Institute_

Erickson took a deep breath and threw the crumbled message back in his suitcase. It had been several months since he had met with Miss Saegusa regarding his daughter's peculiar yet frightening condition that took her out of high school. After an incident with Arwen inherently seeing the future in a vision, the administration deemed her unfit for a proper education.

Shortly afterwards, he remembered getting a phone call from the Extra-Sensory Perception Institute regarding her being a 'Psychic'. The Professor was aware of the cognitive condition that gave individuals wild powers like telepathy and clairvoyance but he often did not believe such things. Even though Mothra and the Elias possessed such talents, they weren't human and he realized that.

Erickson remembered his first meeting with Miki. She was a delightful young woman with a passion for her talent and he respected that. Unfortunately however, he sincerely did not believe his daughter was a Psychic, despite his wife's claims that her great-grandmother possessed odd abilities and that it was definitely a genetic trait in her family.

No, such an assumption was preposterous! Ever since the meeting, he persuaded his wife to home school Arwen until she could graduate. Even though he seemed set in his rather stubborn ways, something deep within his mind made him skeptical. If Mothra and the Elias could have psychic powers, why couldn't humans also have enhanced abilities? Perhaps it was the idea that his daughter might be supernatural in some sense that turned him off to the idea. No matter now as there were more pressing things at hand.

After scurrying around his room collecting the last of his belongings, Professor Erickson headed for the heliport on the roof of the hotel. About a half hour later, he was airborne and anxiously awaiting seeing Mothra with his own eyes. He could barely keep his excitement from getting the best of him.

The beautiful western sky was still painted by moonlight as a new day began to awaken. Mothra Virgo was swimming toward Yaku Island. The memories passed down to her from her mother told her that it held something that would make her more powerful. The larva would go to the Tree of Life to receive the energy she needed to aid the planet in these terrible times. The Elias followed closely behind and watched proudly as she swam below them, admiring their goddess' strength and confidence.

"This one is going to be as strong as her mother," Lora exclaimed excitedly.

"I hope you are right. The Earth needs her very badly," replied Moll. Suddenly, their thoughts were interrupted.

"There's Yaku Island!" Belvera shouted. Moll and Lora looked toward the southern horizon. It was as beautiful as they remembered it and one of the oldest places on Earth, almost as old as Infant Island itself.

For some odd reason, the fairies felt at home when they landed. Mothra immediately made her way deep into the forest, determined to succeed in her mission. When they were fully surrounded by the foliage and trees, they could hear the very voice of the planet itself singing to them. It was very mystic and beautiful as a gentle westerly breeze blew in and rustled the leaves, releasing a fragrant flowery scent into the air. Eventually, Mothra and the Elias came to a small clearing at the very center of the forest where the towering Tree of Life stood.

Mothra chirped and her eyes glistened at the beauty of the landscape which was an even greater incentive to save this world from its would-be destroyers. She crawled up near the base of the tree which was about as thick as herself and gently rested her body against its bark to await the right moment to begin her metamorphosis.

The Elias stepped off their steeds and stood back a ways. Flower petals and leaves mystically blew around them and the Earth's voice could be heard once again. Suddenly, Belvera let out a horrific scream of terror.

"Belvera, what's the matter?" Lora frowned, turning to her. To the Elias' surprise, the Doubijin were standing directly behind them, smiling slightly before returning their gaze to Mothra.

"What are you doing here?" Belvera demanded.

"Belvera, mind your manners! They are our brothers," Moll reminded her as she walked up to them. "My name is Moll. This is Lora and Belvera," the wise priestess introduced them in turn. The Doubijin looked at each other as if they did not know what to say.

"You do have names, don't you?" Lora asked, folding her arms impatiently. The males nodded. It had been a long time since they had used them but they did have names.

"Um... my name is Terius. I am the Anari of Valor," the farthest one announced. The other two then came forward and introduced themselves.

"My name is Zirkon. I am the Anari of Brotherhood."

"And I am Oberon, the Anari of Knowledge," the final one who stood closest to Moll said. The Elias smiled at their brothers as it had been a long time since they actually conversed with each other. Now they had a sense of family. The Doubijin seemed a bit rude but the Elias could live with that.

"That is fascinating! The Doubijin have a trio of traits the same as we do," Moll murmured as she shook Oberon's hand. Suddenly, the six fairies were startled by the loud cry of Mothra who raised herself up to stare at the sky. The Elias immediately knew that it was time to assist in her transformation.

"I suppose you two are going to sing... again," Belvera moaned. Moll and Lora snickered.

"Feel free to join us any millennia," Lora chuckled sarcastically as she and Moll climbed onto a rock to sing to their goddess.

Professor Erickson and his two assistants stood nearby, watching Mothra prepare for her metamorphosis. They were recording the event and absolutely enamored by the sight. Erickson had a feeling of relief as he watched, finally getting what he had desired all his life: a chance to see Mothra transform.

Moll and Lora gazed upon their goddess and smiled, knowing that she was going to be a lot more powerful after she hatched from her cocoon. They began to sing the song that Mothra Leo had heard over ten years before.

_MothraLeo_

_Sora to mizu no aida ni Anata wa umareru _

_Sora no ao sau tsusu hoshi no _

_Midori no daichi ni_

_Mosura Virgo... _

_A ra wa rei de yo sekai_

_Sora to mizu no aida de_

_Anata wa madoromu_

_Ikuoku ikusenmanen no_

_Yume o tsu mu ide..._

They stopped briefly to watch Mothra spraying a webbing of silk up into the canopy of the great tree. As she did, a mystic green dust floated down and was absorbed by the insect. Belvera smiled and hummed the tune that her sisters sang, as did the Anari. This was a surprise since they despised singing. Obviously, the voices of the Elias had a strange impact on everyone who heard them. They began to sing the final verse of the beautiful song.

_Ma yo naka no taiyou ga _

_Mori o terasu _

_Ma hiru no tsuki no shizuku ga _

_Inochi o nurasu..._

_Mosura Virgo... _

_Ha ba ta kii de yo inochi _

_Sora to mizu no aida de _

_Anata wa mezameru _

_Kaseki no sakana no mure no _

_Nemuri yabutte..._

When Moll and Lora had finished, the final note echoed off into the forest. Belvera and the Doubijin gazed upon the colossal cocoon which caused the tree to lean a bit.

The fairies were not the only ones observing this great moment. All of the animals on the island had flocked toward the Tree of Life to watch the metamorphosis of Mothra. They knew that she protected the planet and respected that as much as humanity did.

The Elias turned and smiled at the Doubijin who were waving their hands in the air as they kneeled to show respect for their Queen. At last, the cocoon began to shine; tiny holes in its surface revealing intense rays of light emanating from within. Suddenly, it was incinerated by the energy it had contained. The mighty force danced up into the sky as small rainbow-hued butterflies and merged into one great mass above the Tree of Life. In a great flash of light, two gigantic wings spread out over the forest and as the glare subsided, Mothra Virgo's face and body could be seen. Her fuzzy body seemed to glow and her wings were painted with stunning shades of blue, black, yellow, green, purple, orange and red. In appearance, she was quite similar to her mother. Her antennae slanted backward as the three gems on her forehead reflected the sun's rays.

The Elias were in awe as they gazed upon Mothra Virgo's mighty form. She was about three times as large as the Tree of Life and dwarfed even her mother's great size. The Elias, including Belvera, rejoiced as they folded their hands and bowed their heads, tears of joy dropping onto the forest floor. The Doubijin were absolutely astonished by the metamorphosis for such power and majesty had never been observed by their aged eyes. They, too, celebrated her rebirth.

Mothra raised her head and released a powerful screech that echoed across the island. With one great flap of her wings, she flew high into the air and took off, leaving a trail of sparkling energy particles behind. Mothra, the Queen of the Monsters, had returned and was determined to save the planet and the people she loved so dearly.

_Battra Returns_

The darkness of evil blew in from the north as Death Ghidorah made his way down the northern part of Honshu, his terrible roar echoing off the mountains and distant hillsides.

Sirens sounded in the small city of Akita as people scurried through the streets to escape the monster's approach. The three-headed dragon landed, his massive wings spread to their full width and flapping, sending vehicles and small buildings flying through the air. The horrific cries of people being crushed or incinerated seemed to give him pleasure as he continued to decimate the town. He could sense the approach of an enemy but brushed off the thought to savor the thrill of slowly destroying the planet.

As Mothra Virgo streaked through the cloudy skies, she seemed to bring the glory of sunshine with her. She screeched and chirped, flying ever faster with the Elias and the Doubijin close behind. Zirkon and Terius sat behind Belvera on Garu Garu and Oberon with Moll and Lora on Fairy since they had no other means of transportation. The Doubijin did have the ability of teleportation but it drained their energy when they used it. Everyone seemed content and joyous at Mothra's new glory except Moll.

"What is wrong?" asked Lora. Moll stared up into the sky as she could sense an unusual disturbance growing in intensity minute by minute.

"We have more problems than Death Ghidorah. The Earth is in danger so we must be quick in our work," she replied.

"Do not worry so. Mothra isn't in this alone. Battra has healed and gone through his metamorphosis," Oberon announced as he held onto Lora's waist so he wouldn't fall off Fairy.

On the Kanto Plain, people in the towns and cities below rejoiced and cried out her name as Mothra was a symbol of hope and safety to the Japanese people. In response, the insect released her own cry of confidence. However, she did know that the future would be hard for her with so many things threatening the planet. But with Battra on her side and possibly Biollante as well, she felt a sense of relief.

"Hurry! Quick, get the camera running!" Professor Erickson hollered as the helicopter followed Mothra Virgo.

"Where is she going?" an assistant asked.

"To fight one of the creatures threatening the planet. Most likely Death Ghidorah since he is closest at the moment."

"What about the experiment?"

"Do not worry. When the time is right, we shall proceed with it. In fact, I don't really consider it an experiment anymore but that is all I am going to tell you about it," Erickson replied sternly. He didn't want to reveal his plans to even his assistants. The project meant a lot to him and he had worked for years until he finally managed to extract a carbon copy of his and his wife's memory synapses and inject them into a small sphere no larger than his pinky fingernail. The result was brilliant as he thought that possibly their memories could prove useful to future generations.

Death Ghidorah continued his rampage through Akita as fires and great explosions erupted into the dark sky. He soon reduced the entire city to ashes and missed the cries of the people he destroyed because now, everything was quiet and irritating to him. He was distracted by a light flashing through the clouds above. Suddenly, they seemed to part and yellow energy particles floated down from the intense glare, dissipating as they reached the ground near him. After the brightness dimmed, a great earthquake trembled below his mighty feet. To escape the shaking, with one great flap of his wings, Death Ghidorah hoisted himself into the air. Seconds later, the ground gave way and shattered.

Screeching plant-like tendrils burst forth, followed by the main mass of a creature sounding a mighty roar. Death Ghidorah bellowed defiantly as Biollante, the spirit of the Earth, returned, more powerful than before. He sent a cascade of lava bolts toward her and the mammoth mutant plant's vines shattered and exploded. A green sappy substance splattered the ground but the blast didn't seem to cause her any severe pain as a new tangle shot toward her enemy. The three-headed beast managed to destroy a few but others grasped his legs, forcing him to fall down on the dusty landscape. Biollante's giant mouth opened and released another monstrous roar that echoed off the mountains as a bunch of tendrils sought to entrap Death Ghidorah.

The demonic monster was wrapped up tight and coughing up dark red blood as they constricted his body ever tighter. He writhed in pain and agony, attempting to loosen the Earth spirit's grip which just got stronger, almost shattering his very bones. Only by sending a pulse of energy through his body which surged up the vines and shocked her main mass did he manage to save himself. Biollante threw her head back and roared angrily as Death Ghidorah took the opportunity to release more lava blasts, destroying all the vines encircling him. Both monsters stared at each other and prepared for their ultimate battle.

Moll gasped as she sensed what was taking place in Akita. She did not want to see Mothra battle this demon alone. "Biollante... she is here," the wise woman murmured. Oberon glanced over at Zirkon and Terius who nodded. The male fairy closed his eyes and began reciting words from an ancient text his people had created many thousands of years ago:

_"Protector of peace, bringer of retribution _

_Rise to our defense, fight for self-determination! _

_God of Power, bringer of justice _

_Rise again, defeat the ongoing malice!_

_Great guardian, please rise again _

_Battra, Prince of the Doubijin!"_

After Oberon recited the tenet, the Elias could sense Battra's presence. "The battle is only beginning," Moll assured them as she glanced back up at Mothra who also felt the rallying of her allies.

In Akita, the earth trembled violently as Biollante wrapped her tendrils around Death Ghidorah's body and slammed him onto the ground. She did this several times until he reached down and bit one of them in half. This greatly angered her and she began to send more and more toward the dragon. Before the vines caught him, Death Ghidorah flew into the air and dodged quickly, angering her even more. He doused her in a cascade of lava bolts, causing explosions to erupt and destroy more vines. The Earth's spirit roared out in pain and agony as Ghidorah violently slammed into her, not knocking her over because her roots were deep in the ground. The demon tried again but was unsuccessful. As he attempted a final charge, Biollante turned her head to the side and opened her mouth as wide as she could.

Death Ghidorah was too slow to dodge and one of his wings was caught. Biollante tugged furiously and tore the edge off, the dragon falling to the ground at her massive base. She opened wide and reached down toward him but received a mouthful of lava blasts which seared into her jaws and burst through her back, flinging chunks of her body into the air behind and above her. The great guardian reared up and roared in anguish as Death Ghidorah took to the air once again.

As he circled the decimated battlefield waiting for his enemy to recover, a large object flew by at unbelievable speed. The dragon stopped in mid-air and looked around. It swooped down from above, violently slamming into his back and sending the beast hurtling toward the ground. He landed in the remains of the city and was shrouded in a huge cloud of ash and dust.

Biollante slouched down and attempted to heal herself from Death Ghidorah's sadistic assault but something caught her attention. A cloud of green powder floated down from above and a second later, there was a great fuzzy face staring at her. She blinked in surprise as Mothra chirped at her fellow monster before releasing green scales from her wings. When they landed on her trunk, she could feel life and strength building within her. Mothra Virgo, like her mother, Leo, had the ability to restore the life of plants. Biollante raised her head confidently and gazed into the eyes of her savior.

Thank you, my sister Mothra seemed to nod her head and reassure her.

You are welcome. Together we must fight to protect the planet. Their 'conversation' was cut short when Death Ghidorah blasted forth several lava gouts which caused the ground under Mothra to explode. The insect deity turned around and flew down in front of the beast, casting her great shadow upon him. Death Ghidorah's eyes widened for he could not believe the size of this Mothra. He recalled Mothra Leo being much smaller. Virgo was obviously larger and bulkier. Her massive wings even dwarfed Biollante's great mass.

Death Ghidorah snarled hatefully at his aerial nemesis and challenged her to battle. Mothra flew past the demon and slammed into his side, knocking him to the ground. Unlike Biollante, this foe was fast and agile which made it more difficult for him to attack her.

Mothra soared high into the air, followed closely by the three-headed menace. Both kaiju slammed into each other violently, their impacts sounding like thunder. The insect goddess streaked behind the demon and smacked at him with her enormous wings as Death Ghidorah brought his heads around to bite her. Mothra quickly got out of range as energy crackled in the three gems on her forehead and a trio of rainbow-hued prismatic blasts seared forth. They lanced into his body, knocking him back to the ground. Now Biollante was able to release her anger upon the beast and sent forth a multitude of snapping tendrils. When they bit into him, steam rose from the wounds as the acid in their mouths corroded his flesh.

The Elias and Doubijin watched the battle anxiously, cringing from the terrible horror ensuing below. They could not fully understand how everything had started to go wrong. Unusual attacks by monsters and aliens just seemed apocalyptic. However, they had faith in Mothra and Biollante. Soon, another monster was added to that list when they spotted it on the horizon.

"Battra!" Oberon cried as he stood excitedly on the back of Fairy, holding on to Lora so he wouldn't fall. Everyone's faces lit up with joy as they gazed upon the dark-winged insect rapidly approaching to aid his two allies.

"Now Death Ghidorah will pay!" Zirkon shouted.

"We must not be over-confident. Death Ghidorah is still a terrible force to be reckoned with. He could still prevail," Moll reminded him.

"He is in for a beating..." Belvera muttered, only to have Terius elbow her in the back. All the fairies could do was watch as the great battle continued.

Biollante raised her enormous toothed mouth and roared out in agony as Death Ghidorah sent lava rays dancing into her abdomen, causing bloody green sap to explode into the air. Before he could injure the Earth spirit too severely, Mothra flew in and grasped onto the demon's necks with her six clawed feet. Electrical shocks seared from her body and sizzled into him, forcing the vile beast to squeal in agony. The deity continued to release this damaging assault upon the three-headed leviathan until he sent a wave of energy through his body. The great surge slammed into Mothra's abdomen, flinging her away and causing her to hit a half-destroyed building. As the insect writhed in pain, Death Ghidorah smote her body with multiple blasts of his lava rays. Explosions erupted, hiding the insect in a great cloud of sparks and smoke.

All of a sudden, Death Ghidorah felt a draft of wind against his body. As he looked up, two purple-hued beams lanced into him. Battra was determined to get retribution from this enemy who had defeated him once before.

Mothra heard the valiant roar of Battra and raised her head out of the rubble to see if it was actually real. Battra had returned, and in his adult form. Anxious to help her brother, she flew out of the wreckage and from high in the air, doused Death Ghidorah with her prismatic beams, causing the three-headed demon to take to the sky to battle his flying foes. The two moths relentlessly slammed into him, slashing his flesh with their claws. However, even that proved to be not enough to bring down such a creature.

As Mothra flew behind him to attack, Death Ghidorah whipped his tail up and smote the insect's body, causing her to plummet toward the ground like a stone. To defend his fellow insect, Battra battled viciously with the dragon, beating his wings as fast as he could which caused a huge gust of wind with enough power to blow Ghidorah backwards. When he had pushed the vile fiend close enough, Biollante rose beneath him and bit onto his tail with her mighty jaws, dragging the beast to the ground.

The mammoth plant mauled Death Ghidorah, tearing at his flesh. A dark-hued liquid soon oozed from multiple gaping wounds. Biollante opened her mouth and released a glowing jet of radioactive sap. He was bathed in the corrosive matter which stung his ravaged body. Battra then attacked, grasping one of his wings and tearing through the scaly material. Seeing what he was doing, Mothra flew in and began ripping at his wings also. The three kaiju brutally injured Death Ghidorah who was crying out in agony. Suddenly, something seemed to erupt within him; a sort of hidden evil that had never been seen before.

A wave of pure energy burst forth and knocked his attackers away. He then released a huge flame from his center head. When it hit the ground, it began to split up. Violent explosions erupted in a chain reaction all the way up Biollante's main body mass, tearing her abdomen open. Flames and rocks burst into the air and battered Mothra and Battra. Death Ghidorah then released a monstrous roar of malice and retribution as his red eyes shone brightly, giving him a demonic appearance but that was not all.

Mothra flew high above the terrible hell being released, fanning her wings and releasing a cloud of shimmering yellow scales that blanketed Death Ghidorah. They seemed to keep the dragon in place, allowing Biollante and Battra to get clear of the attack. As she released ever larger amounts of the dust, Death Ghidorah grew annoyed and fired several blasts of crackling molten energy. The scales provided Mothra protection and reacted with the intense heat, causing several large explosions to detonate over her assailant. They had such great kinetic force behind them that it knocked the dragon to the ground. Again he rose to show his adversaries that he never gave up. He blasted the Hell's Flame from his center head up at Mothra and this time, an even larger explosion detonated, nearly equaling the force of an atomic bomb. The scales amplified the energy so greatly that it enveloped Mothra and sent her falling to the ground.

"Mothra!" Lora cried out as she covered her eyes. The entire battlefield was aflame and it was not known if Battra, Biollante or Mothra survived as the evil and turmoil the planet was undergoing seemed to cloud their senses. However, Moll seemed to be clear-minded as usual.

"Wait! I can feel something. I do not believe that they are dead," she gasped with a hint of hope sparkling in her eyes. As the smoke and fire cleared, Biollante and Battra could be seen sitting next to each other at a safe distance. However, Mothra was not visible.

"No..." Lora whispered. Moll and Belvera also felt her anguish. The Doubijin were relieved that Battra survived the terrible battle but they felt the Elias' pain for Mothra.

A faint aura of light shone in the fire that covered the remains of the destroyed city. This attracted the attention of the Elias who continued to observe the unusual phenomenon. A great mass emerged from the flames and it was none other than Mothra. Her body was injured and parts of her wings were burning. Her fur was singed but the Elias did not worry.

Battra found the mortally wounded body of Death Ghidorah and carried him to the ocean where he dumped him. The insect shuddered as a dim crimson light lingered in the water where he slowly sank beneath the waves.

Mothra fell to the ground in agony. Terrible wounds from the explosion covered her body and wings but something caught her attention as a shadow loomed over her. Biollante stood nearby, the plant seeming to take pity on the insect. Luckily, she hadn't endured the impact that Mothra had but imagined what it felt like.

You saved my life and healed me. Now I must do the same the Earth's spirit said gently. Biollante raised her head and roared up at the sky. Clouds began to gather and it gently rained upon the devastated land. When the water touched Mothra's body, it caused her wounds to glow and heal. Soon, she was partially revived. Biollante, seeing that her job was done, formed into tiny particles of energy and ascended toward the heavens. She disappeared but would return to protect her planet.

Mothra managed to raise herself off the ground and take to the air where she met Battra. Battra! I am glad you are not severely injured she chirped.

I am fine and glad you are now well. I knew you would not listen to me! You went off and battled King Kong after I told you to get away he rumbled.

I managed to stop him long enough so that the Elias could be saved and I could get away

We must go our separate ways now Battra insisted.

You are right. There are far more evil things that must be stopped Battra nodded and flew higher before heading eastward, eventually diminishing on the horizon. Mothra also departed as she knew that she had to stand up to greater forces endangering the planet and would most definitely do so, even if it meant risking her life.

On the ocean floor, the injured body of Death Ghidorah slowly healed itself. The demonic monster knew he was not defeated yet and that he would get revenge on the three creatures that put him in this awful position, even if it took all eternity to do so.

It was dark when the Elias and Doubijin retreated to Infant Island to catch up on each other's experiences after so many years apart. The six fairies also tried to come up with a plan of action to help the planet but were stumped.

"We must do SOMETHING!" Belvera hollered as she slumped back against Garu Garu. Moll reluctantly looked up at Mothra's shrine, which she usually sat upon. She felt empty and sentimental for the insect deity. The wise woman knew she had to do something to help.

"What do you three propose we do?" Oberon asked, turning to Lora who was staring blankly at Zirkon. "Lora, are you all right?" She blushed and snapped out of her little mental lapse.

"Yes, I am fine," she giggled. Zirkon glanced down at her and gave a little nervous smile. He was the youngest of the Doubijin while Lora was likewise with respect to the Elias. It appeared to the others that she had feelings for him. Moll changed the subject back to what was being discussed.

"Oberon, you must have something to present."

"No, I do not!" he retorted. "I can't do everything, you know. Besides, you three were the ones who decided to be friendly with humanity and protect them a long time ago so it is your decision."

"How ironic!" Belvera smirked. "I actually thought for a moment that you Doubijin had changed but I guess I was wrong. The males... so arrogant and selfish..." Suddenly, Terius shot an angered glance at the Fairy of Courage. This caught her attention and she gave him a malignant leer.

"Want to say something, Terius?" she muttered sarcastically.

"Yes, I do. It is hard to hear that coming from you, Belvera. You were the one who released Death Ghidorah in order to gain ultimate power for yourself and you are calling us arrogant? Ha!" Terius snickered as he threw his head back and laughed even louder. Lora and Zirkon listened to their bickering but seemed to ignore it. They had great affection towards each other, even though it had been years since they had been together. Zirkon was still handsome and young and the same could be said for Lora. They conversed telepathically as they occasionally glanced at one another.

Shouldn't we stop them from fighting? Lora inquired.

I do not know... But I really don't care at the moment. All they can do is bicker and it is obvious that they don't approve of us loving each other he responded. She gave him a sad glance as she did not wish to see the Elias and the Doubijin fight. She knew it would drive them away from each other again for another few thousand years. Her love for Zirkon was an ancient one she had never revealed to Moll or Belvera. Zirkon also shared this affection. Terius and Oberon had practically ripped the information out of him and ever since, he had been looked down upon by his brothers.

At least your sisters love you, Lora. Look at Oberon and Terius! They could care less if I died right now

Do not say that! They love you deep down. It is impossible for them not to since you three were created to serve as avatars for Battra Lora replied.

You are probably right. Nevertheless, they disapprove of you and me

And it is our job to bring our brothers and sisters together. If we all unite, we would be a powerful force to be reckoned with she figured. Zirkon glanced down at the ground, remembering the past and his other brother who had died.

There was another Doubijin? asked Lora. Zirkon looked back at her, curiously gazing at him.

Yes. He perished a long time ago in a rock slide

We had another sister also. Her name was Miranda. She was the Elias of Truth but she died as well. I cannot recall from what, though. Belvera and her were very close. Ever since Miranda died, Belvera has changed a lot. I feel sorry for her Lora explained.

That is what happened with me. Aritus, my brother, was very close to me. When he died, I secluded myself a lot from Terius and Oberon Zirkon replied. Their telepathic conversation was cut short when the two lovers heard their families once again bickering and hollering at each other, nearly at one another's throats. Lora exploded in anger.

"STOP IT! NOW!" she hollered at the top of her lungs as she jumped up. Moll, Belvera, Terius and Oberon glanced at the young fairy in surprise. "We should not be fighting. We should be helping one another," Lora insisted. "Even I can realize that! You four are acting like little children! It was never intended for us to be split apart like this so stop!" Zirkon looked at Lora in amazement. The courage and love she possessed made him love her even more.

"She is right. If the Elias and Doubijin join together, we will be a powerful force. Both of our peoples are threatened by the recent events that have been happening. It is time we set aside our differences and be one with each other," Zirkon declared. His words nearly brought Moll to tears. She glanced at Lora and closed her eyes. She knew that her sister possessed that certain wisdom, courage and love that urged her to bring the two peoples together. Moll then looked over at Oberon who was equally stunned by what had just happened.

"Oberon, they are right. We must set aside our differences. It has been far too long and now we must protect this planet side by side," she said, extending her hand to shake his. Both of them apologized to each other and decided to agree with their younger siblings. They then glanced at Terius and Belvera who seemed a bit surprised, yet still hateful toward one another. Moll winked at the Fairy of Courage.

"Belvera, it is for the best." Oberon nodded at these words of wisdom and glanced at Terius. The two gave in and shook hands. "It is undoubtedly time for us to take action. Let us devise a plan," he said as he sat down with Moll. Lora beamed at Zirkon who was looking affectionately at her. They felt as though they had accomplished something that would be with them forever.

_Kaiser_

Standing beside the desk in his quarters, Ken'trus tapped his fingers on the glass top. An emotionless expression painted his face, yet at the same time, an almost sinister cast could be found; the genius gloating in thought of his plan.

Today would determine the fate of the galaxy and he knew it all too well. He had eagerly anticipated this hour and now that it was upon him, he could do little more than stare into space and await the report from Rentis. Whether he was even conscious that he was drumming his fingers in anticipation was unknown. He had been inactive for days, refusing to eat or sleep even if he could do either in his excitement. Oh, the thoughts that clouded his mind! Then the voice of the Chief of the Xian Science Unit came over the intercom.

"Sir, it is finished." The four words Ken'trus had desperately been waiting to hear. Even so, he didn't flinch nor respond to the announcement but continued his blank stare into the full emptiness of his mind. There was a short pause before Rentis spoke again. He knew Ken'trus all too well to bombard him repeatedly with news of Project X. His commander would reply in his own time. However, considering the urgency of the information, he repeated his call.

"Sir, the project is completed. Do you wish to see it?"

Yes, of course I wished to see it! It was, without a doubt, his greatest achievement ever; his ultimate undertaking, his most powerful weapon and so much more. It was his creation. When it was trained and ready, together with his new masterpiece, nothing would, or could, stand in his way. The Xian empire was sure to cover the expanses of the galaxy unopposed. Nothing would stop him from laying eyes upon its grace. He lifted his index finger and laid it atop the communications button on his desk.

"I will be right there," he replied solemnly and proudly marched toward his prize, down the dark, cold sound-proof corridors whose walls almost seemed organic in appearance. In just a few moments, he would know the final condition of his ingenious plan or whether his efforts were for naught. The sleek silver and black doors opened to his mental command and he entered a room not much larger than the corridor itself. Inside stood a Xian with his back to him. Rentis turned around with a look of glee and enthusiasm.

"Sir, it is complete," he said, stepping closer to his master.

"What is its condition?" asked Ken'trus.

"It came out beautifully and with a few minor genetic alterations to its DNA, it is 100% Kaiser." Ken'trus gave an evil smile of approval.

"Show me." Rentis pressed the flat red button on the small console on the wall to his right. The doors slid open and a female clone stepped through. She was beautiful and looked much different compared to the previous line, such as Miss Namikawa had.

It was because of Namikawa that the Xians decided to destroy all their female clones after the first Xian-Earth war, fearful that they also were 'defective' and would turn on them. She was also Rentis' mother. He normally would have been destroyed because of his parentage but Ken'trus recognized his great talents and saved the half-breed. Since then, new and 'improved' designs had been created and used successfully.

Rentis oversaw special projects for his benefactor, such as inventing new weapons. They share a special relationship with each other, closer than most Xians would ever get with the Sub-Controller. Being half-human, he shows more emotion than a typical Xian is able or willing to.

Unit 369 walked toward her Controller, holding a cylinder opened half-way near the top end which she gave to Ken'trus. Inside was a humanoid-like creature, gray-black in color with blue and green highlights. Its skin was shiny and smooth. Under the semi-large and pointed forehead, enormous reflecting eyes beamed up at him, its tiny hands clutched into fists. There was no mistaking its identity.

"My son!" boasted Ken'trus. "My Kaiser!"

_Revenge_

In Earth's upper stratosphere, King Ghidorah hovered silently as the Nebulan flagship came into view. After dealing with the Earth military and wreaking further havoc, he had decided to go after the alien's satellite but was intercepted. A slew of Nebulan fighter craft emerged from behind it, having been dispatched from an un-armed transport ship that had stayed behind and orbited the planet. Although the Nebulan force's incursion was impressive to the eye, it did little but annoy the beast.

His energy field fended off their furious attack and blasts of wing lightning downed several ships that broke formation. They had scattered out of the way just as the flagship brought its own firepower to bear but it also failed to breach the monster's defenses. Ghidorah loosed three streams of gravity rays at the cruiser, damaging its shields but they held nonetheless. He then dove toward the ship which fired once more while the smaller vessels did likewise. King Ghidorah continued on his course undaunted but seconds before collision, something slammed into the Skyllan.

Stunned by the impact, he shook his heads clear, only to see Gigan heaving back to swing both of his giant scythes into him. The cyborg attacked quickly and viciously, not giving Ghidorah the chance to catch his wind and taking full advantage of their close proximity to fire his visor beam. It spider-webbed across the Ravager of Worlds' body, resulting in several small explosions on his hide. Gigan followed up with physical strikes, ignoring his adversary's gigantic muscled torso and going after his heads and necks with several slashing cuts that left their mark.

"I owe you one, Ghidorah, and pay-back is gonna be a bitch!" Gigan taunted as he blasted him again with his eye beam before darting forward once again. Ghidorah suddenly clapped his wings together, slamming Gigan between them as the cyborg flipped through the air to avoid taking the brunt of some gravity beams. As he fell backward and toward the Earth below, Ghidorah looked up to see the Nebulan flagship flying straight toward him.

It rammed the space dragon head on, his triumphant cackles turning to a wheezing cough from the force of the impact. The ship then shot off its lasers while pressed against him, burning the triple-domed destroyer's scales and pushing him back. He let out an angry wail of pain, incensed that these insects could ever harm him. Compounding the damage, the Nebulan fighter craft dove in, turning their bladed hulls as they sliced across the draconic horror's hide. Ghidorah shrieked out once more but was far from beaten. A combined discharge of his gravity beams and wing lightning finally overpowered the flagship's shields, causing an explosion and minor damage to the large craft.

Gigan re-entered the fray from below, goring his chest saw into Ghidorah's left sternum while stabbing his right scythe into the side of his central neck. Now frustrated and enraged, Ghidorah punched his other two heads into Gigan, knocking him away as the flagship got into position behind him. Gigan launched both of his harpoons but his quarry dodged. They instead speared directly into the Nebulan cruiser, breaching its hull. Reacting quickly, Ghidorah bit down on the chains and sent charges of energy from his own body rushing through them. Power surges ran rampant through both Gigan and the Nebulan craft, causing internal damage to both. Ghidorah then bit through the chains before turning a full 360 degrees and unleashing all of his beams in all directions, decimating the Nebulan fleet and causing further damage to both Gigan and the flagship which signaled a retreat.

Before Ghidorah could complete his attack, Gigan kamikazeed him once again. They both plummeted down towards the Earth, falling several hundred miles as Gigan hacked away repeatedly before Ghidorah managed to restrain the cybernetic kaiju with his three heads and turn him away so that his weapons would not be affective.

"I will have my revenge! This isn't over!" Gigan cried desperately, not willing to accept defeat.

"Weak, pathetic fool! You were never a match for me! Did you not learn that from our last encounter? Or perhaps you merely have a short memory. Allow me to refresh it for you!" Ghidorah seethed as another unified blast of both his wing beams and gravity rays tore into Gigan's body. He let out one more mechanical howl before spiraling away, out of control.

Ghidorah did not have enough time to halt his own earthward plunge before crashing deep into the top of a plateau. Gigan had come down somewhere off in the distance, offline and badly damaged once again. He would have to be taken back to the Nebulan base for more repairs. Ghidorah lay within what was to be only a temporary tomb, summoning Mana energy to accelerate his healing processes. In time, he would rise again, stronger than ever and his reign of terror would resume once more.

_Pride of the Fleet_

In the undersea kingdom of Mu, Queen Fimetreous sat upon her throne, silently contemplating the choice she had made for her people to join the United World Powers and the threats they would soon be facing. Although she wanted this new alliance to succeed, she and her people were inherently suspicious of outsiders, even those who would be their allies. Centuries of war with ancient civilizations had jaded them and trust did not come easy.

I pray to our god Manda and to my great ancestors who ruled before me that I have made the right choice. If we do not do something, these invaders will crush us and make us their slaves... or worse she thought to herself.

She then walked over to what appeared to be a blank wall. Pressing a button, it slid away, revealing the ocean floor. Through the massive window, an immense rock formation could be seen which concealed more than met the eye as a long, titanic form emerged from it.

"And so the battle is joined," the Queen began to say as a slender moving mass of scales slithered from its resting place. "And our god shall fight any enemy that threatens our kingdom and this planet," she finished defiantly as Manda came into full view. The 300-meter serpent coiled around its mountain lair, seemingly watching over the Mu kingdom in a silent vigil.

"Your highness?" The Muuvian High Priest spoke, entering the room as Queen Fimetreous turned to acknowledge him. "It is ready."

A few minutes later and accompanied by the Queen's personal guard, they stood outside the main gate of the foundries. Awaiting them was the Earth liaison, A. Johnson. The massive doors slowly began to slide open.

"Behold, my Queen. What was once the greatest bane of our kingdom is now our deadliest weapon. I present to you... the GOTENGO!" the High Priest proclaimed as the amazing new battle sub was unveiled for all to see.

"Well, Mr. Johnson. Is it to your liking?" the Queen asked with a slight smile but her eyes glowed with the great pride she felt for her people's latest accomplishment.

"Your majesty... Words cannot begin to describe the awe I am feeling at this very moment..."

"You are pleased then?"

"Absolutely!" Johnson finally composed himself. "It is an amazing creation! A true testament to the craftsmanship of the Mu people."

"It has five missile launchers mounted on the starboard and port sides of the ship and four laser cannons. Its bow-mounted drill, aside from its conventional purpose of burrowing, also has a high-power maser and a freeze beam as well.

"The ship is 150 meters long; 10,000 tons of the most deadly and advanced weaponry and submarine technology there is. The pinnacle of Mu science," the Queen explained proudly.

"I thank you, Queen Fimetreous. This is indeed a magnificent ship. And a magnificent ship needs a magnificent Captain. I have just the man for the job," Johnson said with a smile as he turned to motion another individual to join them.

An officer of large and intimidating stature walked up beside them. Standing six feet, two inches tall and weighing a lean and muscular 220 pounds, he sported a bushy black mustache. His hand rested on the hilt of a katana at his side.

"May I present to you Captain Douglas Gordon."


	7. Mugar

"Are we ready to proceed with the combat test?" Commander Mugar asked.

"Yes, sir. We have the Garogan capsules in position," Argon replied.

"Is there evidence of any human or other alien craft nearby?"

"No, sir. The area is clear."

"Then let's give the Garogan creations a real workout, shall we? Prepare to launch Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus." A pair of massive doors opened directly above the two cyborgs as their internal control systems surged to life and the terrifying duo's eyes lit up a bright amber yellow. Several other portals opened as well. The Simeon constructs uttered their characteristic roars as they brought their arms to their chests in a salute. Titanosaurus then leaped up and out of the main hangar toward the surface. Mechagodzilla activated his jet propulsion and lifted skyward as well. The huge bay quickly closed and concealed itself against prying eyes.

Above the hidden Simeon base was a sparse plain, perfect for a serious brawl. A few moments later, the Garogan kaiju spotted the new arrivals and charged them head on. They had come into Simeon possession after a brief battle decades ago that resulted in defeat for the Garogans. The Simeons retrieved them since to the victor went the spoils.

"Initiate the battle program! Attack!" Mugar ordered. Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus marched into the horde nonchalantly with their defense shields and armaments at the ready, like a couple of battle-hardened gladiators. Some of the kaiju attacked with tooth and claw, others with flame and beam weapons. Mechagodzilla punched his right hand through the skull of the lead beast and then turned, bisecting three more with his chest cutter beam. Another dinosaurian kaiju took a round of impaler missiles that remotely detonated, blowing their unfortunate target to pieces while another had its face blown off by the mech's eye beams.

Meanwhile, Titanosaurus had brought his new weaponry to bear as he sliced a bear-like kaiju in half up the middle with his right forearm cutting laser and then dismembered another with the missile turret on his left leg. A charging mob of five or more monsters got a taste of his photon cluster blast as the energy torpedo shot forth out of his left eye, splitting into five separate projectiles and blasting clean through their quarry. As more rushed in, Titanosaurus switched to hand-to-hand combat, beating anything within arm's reach senseless.

Mechagodzilla took to the air, raining painful and explosive death from above, firing both his eye beams and atomic breath ray onto indiscriminate targets. Airborne kaiju resembling various Earthly fliers like birds, bats and insects were picked off.

Titanosaurus broke the neck of an ape-like kaiju and then punched his cybernetic right arm into another monster, ripping out its heart. Mechagodzilla came down and cut loose with his berserker arsenal barrage, firing everything he had at once. Aiming had been re-calibrated and fine-tuned for more accurate targeting, evident by the amount of kaiju body parts flying through the air.

A monster at least twice the size of the others that looked like a cross between Gamera and Yongary advanced on Mechagodzilla. The robot turned his barrage in its direction but the creature's heavily armored shell withstood the attack and it kept on coming, charging like an enraged bull. New plasma missiles loaded from a chamber in Mechagodzilla's arms and locked into his hands. Just as the mammoth kaiju reached him, they fired, some detonating on the outside of the monster while others used their drilling ability to dump their burning plasma payload inside its body. The kaiju staggered backwards, shrieking in shock and pain as the highly volatile energy burned into it and literally melted the creature from the inside out. It began to fall apart into a revolting and nausea-inducing pile of bloody, steaming gore; a horrible way for any living thing to die.

Mugar couldn't have been more pleased as he watched with a sick and sadistic smile behind his metallic mask. The few remaining kaiju with beam weapons grouped together and fired a tight pattern from their eyes or mouths at the destructive duo. Titanosaurus quickly jumped into the line of fire, dropping his shield and opening his reflector mirror. The concentrated beam blasts struck the dish and were absorbed.

Mechagodzilla, using his jet propulsion, hovered directly over his comrade, picking off other kaiju as they tried to attack Titanosaurus from all sides. They finally broke off, waiting for the cyborg to either explode or fall. Instead, he fired their concentrated beam attack back at five times its initial strength, literally atomizing the monsters.

The battlefield was soon littered with the bloody, battered and mutilated corpses of countless alien kaiju. There was not even enough left of some to be able to tell what they once were. A scant few remained that tried to flee but Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus gave chase, intent on wiping out every last one of them.

Mechagodzilla grabbed hold of one straggler and proceeded to beat and pummel what appeared to be an amphibious creature to death, shattering bones and rupturing internal organs before tearing it limb from limb. Titanosaurus tortured another that was bird-like in appearance, slicing off miscellaneous body parts with his laser cutter as it tried to run away. First, it lost its feet and fell down. Then came its wings. Next was its tail, followed by parts of its face. To say that this fight was an one-sided slaughter would be an understatement.

"Well, Commander?" Chief Argon asked, grinning at Mugar.

"Excellent," he replied, finally voicing his approval.

"Though it may be true that Garogan kaiju might not be nearly as durable as some of the powerhouses here on Earth, I still believe that this was a successful and worthy test of Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus' abilities, sir," Argon said proudly.

"Indeed. I must agree -" Mugar stopped abruptly to watch Titanosaurus grab hold of one of the last remaining test subjects and move his thumb across his own neck in the gesture that usually meant death. He then picked it up, turned it upside-down and leapt into the air, bringing the creature back down with him in a pile-driver. It connected with so much force that the monster's skull shattered like an over-ripe grapefruit. "Argon? What was that?" Mugar exclaimed in utter shock.

"Ah, yes... Well, sir, it seems that our lead programmer who uploaded the combat data into our warriors is somewhat addicted to American pro wrestling shows," Argon admitted, slightly embarrassed.

"Is that a fact?" It was more a statement than a question. "When Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus have finished, bring them in for whatever maintenance or repairs that might be needed, if any."

While seeing to the retrieval of their very successful weapons platforms, the Simeons failed to notice that one of the Garogan kaiju had escaped the slaughter. The bizarre creature managed to slink away from the dark and once again quiet plain. Using the massive drill that was its head, it quickly burrowed underground.

Chief Argon proudly strode into the main control room of the hangar where Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus had been docked and inspected. He spotted the lead programmer, Toru, who also happened to be his life-long friend.

"Toru, my old comrade!" Argon ran up to him with hand outstretched and a smile on his face.

"Chief Argon!" They clasped hands in an excited and frantic handshake.

"To hell with formalities! Toru, you know that you can just call me by my name any time you choose! But that's not what is important right now. I have fantastic news!" Toru broke off the handshake.

"The Commander...?" he started to ask nervously.

"Couldn't be more thrilled with Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus' performance!" Argon finished for him. Toru let out a deep sigh of relief. "You see? I told you that you had nothing to worry about and here you were, lamenting over every little detail, almost on the verge of panic!" Argon laughed.

"The last thing that any Simeon wants to do is upset the Commander..."

"You can relax, my friend, for all is well."

"That is certainly good to know!"

"Ah, Toru! Just look at you! Remember all those years ago when you were majoring in robotics and cybernetics back on our home world, absolutely terrified that you weren't even going to have enough credits to graduate?" Argon asked.

"Yes, I do. You told me to quit worrying over nothing," he smiled.

"That's right. And look at you now. The Lead Programmer and the ape who, along with our homeworld elders, spearheaded the plan to reconstruct Mechagodzilla and salvage the body of Titanosaurus. You can truly be proud of yourself!"

"It was only because of your faith in me, old friend, that I found the courage to keep going."

"Perhaps... But you always had the knowledge, the skill and the talent inside of you," Argon reminded him, putting his hand on Toru's shoulder.

"Thank you, Argon."

"Oh. There is one thing I want to bring up, though. On the battlefield, Titanosaurus used some kind of move that I know you had to have picked up from one of those human wrestling shows that you watch," Argon explained with an amused smirk on his face.

"Tombstone pile-driver!" Toru exclaimed excitedly, pointing at a poster he had of a W.W.E. wrestler called 'The Undertaker' on the inside of the control room door. Argon looked at it for a moment. "Is there a problem?"

"The Commander did not quite know what to make of it and I am not really sure what he thought about it, to be honest..." Argon admitted.

"Oh no... oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, no no no no no!" Toru started to fret, bringing his hands up to the sides of his head.

"Wait a minute! Just calm down. I didn't say he was upset, did I, or that he disapproved?" Argon tried to assure him.

"But he didn't say he liked it either! I guess it is just a good thing that Mechagodzilla didn't do a Stone Cold Stunner while he was out there. Oh, I am sooo dead!"

"A stone cold what? Oh, never mind! You are fretting over nothing again. Just remove that little piece of the program and maybe that poster to be on the safe side and everything will be just fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. You are a genius, after all!"

"Indeed he is," a voice exclaimed from behind them. Argon and Toru turned to see Commander Mugar standing in the doorway, watching them as they snapped to attention and gave the Simeon salute. "At ease, my fellow apes," Mugar told them, walking into the room.

"Good evening, sir. I was just congratulating Lead Programmer Toru on Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus' spectacular performance."

"And it is well deserved. I was very impressed with what I saw today," Mugar addressed Toru as Argon stepped aside.

"Tha-thank you, sir. I am glad they are to your liking."

"I have just one question, Toru. About the bizarre move that Titanosaurus used on the battlefield. Where did you get that again, may I ask?"

"Uh... fro-from a human television program, sir," he replied, even more unnerved now.

"Indeed. The same can be said for this strange decoration on the door behind me, I assume..." Mugar turned away for a moment with his arms crossed behind his back. "Tell me, Toru. Do you enjoy this human program?" The engineer seemed hesitant to answer at first, worried about what the Commander's response might be. He dared not lie as Mugar could always tell when he was being deceived, no matter by who. Chief Argon looked on, not sure of where Mugar's questioning was leading. "I asked you a question!" Mugar yelled, turning back around and getting right in Toru's face.

"Y-yes, sir," he finally answered.

"I see... Tell me, Toru. Do you have any idea how much it disgusts me that you get enjoyment from this human filth?" Mugar seethed.

"No-no, sir."

"It is disgraceful and abhorrent in ways that I cannot even begin to describe!" Toru broke out in a cold sweat as waves of terror swept over him. Argon tried to diffuse the situation by offering his own counsel.

"Commander, sir. I was just suggesting to Toru that he remove the -"

"When I want your opinion, Chief Argon, I will ask for it! Do you understand? Until then, you will remain silent!" Mugar bellowed with an angry glare that took Argon aback.

"S-si-sir, I meant no disrespect. If I have in any way offended, upset or angered you at all, I am most sorry and humbly beg your forgiveness," Toru stuttered as Mugar's stare bored deep into him. Argon watched as Mugar turned away from Toru who looked as if he were going to pass out. Long moments of silence passed.

"Apology... accepted," Mugar finally said as Toru and Argon let out a collective sigh of relief.

"I-it was like I was just saying to Chief Argon, sir. The last thing any Simeon wants to do is upset the Commander -"

BLAM! Toru stopped in mid-sentence as Argon looked at him. His head snapped in the Commander's direction. He had turned around and drawn his blaster. As a feeling of shock and dismay came over Argon, he looked back at Toru who had just enough time to see the hole in his chest before falling to the floor, dead. Toru's Assistant Science Officer entered the room to see what happened as Mugar turned around to leave.

"Congratulations. You have just been promoted," he said coldly as he walked by him. On his way out, he ripped the poster off the door and crumpled it before tossing it aside. Argon stood transfixed by the body of the Simeon who had been his best friend. A rush of memories came over him as he knelt down next to Toru. They had known each other since they were apelings, grew up together and entered the military academy together. Even though they went down very different career paths, their friendship had always remained strong.

As he knelt there, Argon felt tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. What was he doing? He couldn't cry, he mustn't. It would be a sign of weakness but suddenly, Argon didn't care anymore. All that mattered was that a Simeon who he may not have been related to by blood but loved like a brother was dead on the floor in front of him.

"Leave! Now!" Argon ordered Toru's assistant who quickly rushed out of the room. He pulled Toru's body to him and wept.

Later Chief Argon stood outside Commander Mugar's office, trying very hard to get his emotions under control. He had planned on confronting him about his actions regarding Lead Programmer Toru but he would have to do so delicately. It was difficult for him to understand Mugar killing Toru over something that seemed so petty. He gave himself a moment to calm down before taking a deep breath and announcing his presence.

"Permission to enter, Commander?"

"Granted."

"My apologies for disturbing you, sir, but I wished to speak to you about something," Argon explained as he walked through the door.

"I assume this is about Toru," Mugar said without looking up from some paperwork he is reading.

"Yes, sir. How did you know?"

"I saw the look on your face when I shot him. It told me all I needed to know," Mugar stated bluntly.

"I see. Let me get right to the point then. Was killing the most brilliant mind that we had brought with us from the no-longer-existing Simeon homeworld prudent?"

"He committed what was in my eyes an unforgivable, unsalvageable act that warranted termination. Nothing more, nothing less."

"And now we no longer have him as the valuable resource that he was."

"His Assistant Science Officer can and will take over his duties."

"To some degree, perhaps, but he is no replacement for Toru. What if a major malfunction occurs with Mechagodzilla or Titanosaurus that no one else is capable of repairing? Then what?"

"Then if Toru were still alive, I would have him shot anyway for incompetence in allowing such an oversight to happen in the first place." Again, Chief Argon was taken aback by Mugar's words but rather than dwell on them, he resumed his original questioning.

"You did not answer my question, sir." Finally, Mugar looked up from his desk. Argon could only guess that the expression hidden behind his mask was none too pleasant.

"According to you yourself, Argon, this shouldn't even be a question to begin with, seeing as how you endlessly sang the praises of Toru's abilities. Therefore, malfunctions of any kind should not be an issue. And another thing: This is not the first time I have performed an execution of an insubordinate, yet you have never taken exception until now," Mugar stated suspiciously as he got up out of his chair and walked over to him.

"Insubordination, sir? With all due respect, I know how you feel about the humans and their culture but what Toru did to our constructs may have actually been an improvement to their battle programming rather than a detraction."

"What?" Mugar shouted with disgust that was quite similar to how he sounded right before he shot Toru. "Please tell me, Argon, that you are not serious. Please tell me that you are not condoning what he did. Any Simeon who does anything remotely similar to what Toru did will receive the same punishment!" Mugar stated bluntly.

"A simple deletion of the programming would have sufficed and Toru would still be amongst us to offer his skill and expertise, sir."

"I am beginning to wonder if you are letting your personal feelings get in the way of your duty, Chief Argon. Should I charge you with insubordination as well for challenging my orders?" Mugar hissed sternly. A long moment of silence passed with the building anger of both Simeons quite evident.

"... No, sir," Argon growled softly.

"For your sake, I hope you are correct, Argon," Mugar snarled.

"In case you have forgotten, sir, there are some Simeons who have indeed taken a liking to certain human staples. What is your answer to that? Slaughter all of them?"

"YES!" Mugar exploded with fury as the Chief looked on in horror, wondering if the Commander was beginning to lose his grip on sanity itself, let alone their mission.

"Why? How does such a course of action help us? We need all the ape power we can muster! We are horribly outnumbered by the other races and cannot spare one Simeon, sir! Not to mention that your obsession with the humans seems to overshadow the greater threat posed by the other races which we know have come to Earth, including the Gudis!"

"Any Simeon who crosses me for any reason will be dealt with as I see fit!"

"Indeed. Then perhaps I should remind you of certain Earthly comforts that you yourself once enjoyed? I believe I recall that you at one time were quite fond of a human alcohol called 'brandy'. And cigars as well."

"Indeed I was! And this is what it got me!" Mugar roared, ripping the metallic mask off his face. Argon stared unflinchingly at the badly mutilated and scarred face of his commanding officer who fumed with rage before him. "I allowed myself... to grow weak... and this was the result," he stated, somewhat calming down.

"You are not weak, sir. There is an old human proverb that says, 'Whatever does not kill me makes me stronger'. And despite your revulsion and hatred of the human race, that is one fact that you, of all Simeons, should be able to understand."

"You are quite correct, Argon. I am not weak anymore. And I never will be again. That is why we are going to exterminate the entire human race and wipe any evidence that they ever existed from the face of this planet. And any Simeon who challenges my orders or authority for any reason will suffer the same fate. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good... This discussion is over and you are dismissed," Mugar rumbled. Chief Argon turned and walked out of the office.

Several Simeon scientists in protective bio-suits had examined the body of the Gudis drone that had infiltrated the compound earlier, going over it with a fine tooth comb. With their analysis complete, the corpse was taken from Quarantine to a destabilizer chamber to be disposed of and ensure that any remnants of the Gudis virus or spore were destroyed. It would be tossed in with other hazardous materials that the various bio labs produced but were no longer needed. They had learned the hard way that certain elements and organisms actually thrived on extreme heat so the atomizing energy fields of the destabilizer chamber were created. Considering that the Gudis was a lifeform that fed on heat and other related energies, using the destabilizer was a must in this case.

The carcass was put in the empty compartment and the scientists turned to leave. The doors on the chamber would then close, followed by three more barriers with extensive shielding. Similar armor plating also lined the walls of the room. Rays consisting of molecule splitting anti-protons would blanket the chamber and whatever was inside until it was completely disintegrated. When their task was finished, they departed.

At the back of the mess hall, young Bordu sat peeling homeworld vegetables with an awkward cutting tool. This was Chief Argon's punishment for the disturbance he had caused earlier. Although his boss had obviously chosen to go easy on him, he still hated it. Some of them smelled terrible and his hands were starting to break out in a rash as if he was having an allergic reaction.

"Maybe getting executed would have been better..." he muttered to himself.

Beyond the main operations areas of the Simeon base were family living quarters. Wives, children and other relatives of the soldiers and scientists resided there. Jogal, a middle-aged scientist, had just gotten off a grueling 20-hour shift and stepped through the door of his home to the warm greetings of his wife and son.

"Daddy!" a five year old apeling exclaimed, rushing up and hugging his father who looked as if he was going to topple over when he threw his arms around his legs.

"Easy on your father, Sado! He's had a rough day," Tanea chided him as she peeked around the corner. The female Simeon embraced her husband but it was almost as if he was using her for support.

"That is not the word for it," he sighed, pulling away and collapsing onto an odd-shaped piece of furniture that was the Simeon version of a couch.

"They had you working on that terrible Gudis thing again, didn't they?" she asked with a mixture of fear and anger as she knelt down next to him. "I thought you requested a transfer?"

"I did, but they said no," he groaned, stretching out as several bones popped and cracked.

"You know how I feel about you working with that... that thing..."

"I am not any happier about it than you are, Tanea. But that is the price I pay for being a successful biochemist," Jogal grumbled. Trying to change the subject and cheer her husband up, she smiled.

"I made your favorite dinner tonight." He beamed with a big grin. She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "It will be ready in a few minutes." She headed into the kitchen as Jogal watched her with love and pride in his eyes.

I couldn't have married a better woman he thought, looking at his son who was playing on the floor nearby with a bunch of kaiju toys.

"And just what are you doing? Re-inacting the Kilaak invasion of '99?"

"No, daddy. See? This is Godzilla and this one is King Ghidorah and this one is that nasty old Gudis!" Sado explained excitedly, caught up in his own imagination. Some of the toys were of their actual namesakes while others were merely stand-ins. "And these two are Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus! And they're going to beat them all!" he finished, banging the toys together and making monster noises. Jogal smiled as he thought about the kaiju in question.

Godzilla had already been dealt with, apparently, but King Ghidorah and the Gudis were both still at large and more powerful than ever before. He decided to push such thoughts from his mind now that he was home and only wanted to spend time with his family. Jogal looked back into the kitchen at his beautiful wife who smiled at him. Aside from his recent unsavory work, his life could not have been more blessed.

Later that evening when everyone had turned in for the night, something evil stirred. The Gudis had been patient and now the time had come. It had been easy to penetrate Jogal's bio-suit which had an almost microscopic tear in it. Through his eyes and from his subconscious, he had observed everything around him in the Simeon base. The Gudis had originally planned on taking over Jogal but a far more cruel and sadistic option had presented itself.

In Sado's bed chamber, the apeling's eyes slowly fluttered open. The moment the youngster had hugged his father, Gudis transferred from Jogal to his son who was no more. Now, there was only Gudis. Sado's body slowly got out of bed and made its way to the parents' bedroom. As the automatic door slid open, they woke to see what was the matter.

"Sado, is that you?" Jogal asked, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes as he and his wife slowly sat up.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Tanea asked as what they thought was Sado stood at the foot of their bed. Gudis' eyes began to glow a bright crimson red and a sickening smile came across the boy's face. No one heard the screams of the parents within their soundproof home as they were torn asunder by the Gudis' eye beams.

Bordu got up with a yawn, having finally finished the arduous task Argon had stuck him with. He left the mess hall and started towards his quarters when an alarm went off, scaring him half to death before he took off running.

The cause of the disturbance was obvious as the Gudis-possessed ape child moved through the base. It had left the residential section and headed toward the main part of the underground base. The bodies of slaughtered Simeons lay everywhere as Gudis killed anyone who crossed his path with his eye beams. One Simeon had managed to sound the alarm before being gutted on the spot. Others, unaware of what the child really was, had tried to physically subdue him but the Gudis dismembered them limb from limb.

Other soldiers poured into a hallway in front of the Gudis, armed but hesitant to fire upon what appeared to be a Simeon child. They paid with their lives as the Gudis blasted them to pieces. Every locked door that the Gudis encountered was breached as he headed for the main control room. Off to his left was a corridor that led to the hangar bay where Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus were. A devilish smile came across his face once more. Just then, Bordu arrived on the scene and spotted the small child.

"What the -" was all he managed to get out before the Gudis' head snapped around in his direction, firing off more eye beams as Bordu dove for cover, rolling behind some computer equipment. A security detail led by Chief Argon quickly arrived. He looked at the little Simeon very closely. Its eyes gave it away.

"Open fire!" he ordered.

"But, sir! It's only a child," one of the soldiers stuttered.

"No, it is not! That thing is the Gudis now. I said fi -" KA-SHOOM! Before any of them could respond, the Gudis had unleashed his eye beams once more, cutting a gory swath through the entire group. Only a few managed to dodge out of the way. Those not obliterated received injuries, including Argon who took a glancing shot to his left leg while trying to leap sideways. As he went down, he fired several rounds from his blaster. One connected, completely blowing off the Gudis drone's right arm but it acted as if it could care less.

Bordu drew his own weapon and darted out of his hiding place. The Gudis had already started down the long hall towards the hangar bay where it fired at the guards in the far end. Bordu stood with his blaster pointed at the Gudis' back as it got closer to the doors.

"Shoot it, Bordu! Kill it before it reaches the hangar!" Argon bellowed, trying to push himself up on his injured leg. Bordu started to pull the trigger but hesitated. "Do it now!" Argon ordered. His trigger finger shook uncontrollably as he stared at the creature making its way down the corridor. Bordu knew that thing wasn't a Simeon child, he knew it was the Gudis but he couldn't bring himself to fire. It still looked like an innocent child! "Fire the blaster!"

"I-I can't!"

"You have to or we are all dead!"

"But it's a -"

"That thing is not a child! Not anymore! That thing is the Gudis and you must shoot it!"

"But, but I... I..." Bordu murmured as he broke out in a nervous sweat, his entire arm shaking violently.

"Listen to me! If you don't shoot that thing now, it will take control of Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus and kill us all! Every man, woman and child. Do you understand!" Argon roared as he tried to hobble over to where Bordu was standing. By now, the Gudis had reached the hangar doors and its eyes began to glow once more. "Bordu!"

"I can't!" BLAM! Out of nowhere, a bolt from a laser rifle flashed past Bordu and blew the Gudis drone's head off. He and Argon looked back to see Mugar standing not too far behind them with a rifle in his hand.

"I hope there is a good excuse for such an unforgivable blunder!" Mugar snarled. Looking at the now headless corpse of what was once a Simeon child, an irrational rage suddenly filled Bordu who rushed toward Mugar with his blaster raised. Argon darted in at the last moment, connecting with a nasty left hook to the jaw and putting him down. Mugar turned around, curious as to what the disturbance was. "Is there a problem, Argon?"

"No sir. This rookie just went hysterical for a moment so I subdued him. The horror and shock of watching what appeared to be a Simeon child die in such a manner was apparently too much for him."

"Yes. A horrible tragedy," Mugar said coldly with no hint of any real remorse or emotion whatsoever. "Have this thing disposed of immediately and make sure that all necessary precautions that obviously were not taken the first time are followed to the letter or I will have your heads. Is that clear?" Mugar berated him.

"Ye-yes sir," they all stuttered.

Bordu and five other Simeons had been placed in a holding cell for failure to fire upon the Gudis-possessed child. Their mercy and compassion was viewed as an unforgivable weakness according to Mugar's standards. Argon entered the detention block and approached their cell. Bordu, who was sitting on the floor, slowly lifted his head.

"Well, sir, what jolly news have you for us this fine hour?" he groaned sarcastically. The look on Argon's face was grim and unpleasant, to say the least. "Or perhaps I shouldn't even ask." Bordu was suddenly feeling very sheepish.

"I just figured that you had a right to know... Mugar is going to execute all of you," the Chief said forlornly. Bordu let out a long sigh.

"I knew I shoulda went AWOL when I had the chance..."

"Where would you have gone?"

"Anywhere that would have taken me away from here!"

"And what would you have done? Try and blend in? Do you really think that would have worked? And if you were discovered, then what? You would be imprisoned immediately, based on the previous crimes of our people as judged by human law. What then?"

"I do not know... It's just that Mugar has turned our race and our way of life into something that I am not proud of anymore and don't want any part of."

"You do realize that what you are suggesting is treason, right? Then again, you nearly committed that once already by trying to kill Mugar."

"You should have let me."

"He would have killed you, boy! And even if you had succeeded, you would have been cut down by any number of his lieutenants."

"Then why didn't you kill me? Or have me executed? After you hit me, I never expected to wake up again." There was a long pause as if Argon was unsure of how to respond.

"Perhaps I pitied you. Perhaps a small part of me understood how you felt. Or maybe you just caught me on a good day."

"Or maybe you have finally begun to realize what I have been trying to say all along. That Mugar is unfit for command." There was another silence as Argon looked off to the side. "I heard about what happened to Lead Programmer Toru and why he was killed. I also know that he was a friend of yours..." Argon still said nothing. "Take command."

"What?"

"You heard me. Relieve Mugar from command based on grounds that he is mentally unfit to lead our people."

"You are insane!"

"Am I? Are you sure that is not what you should be saying about Mugar?" Argon was starting to look very flustered.

"Even if I could, there is no guarantee that the soldiers would follow me."

"Yes, there is. Do you realize how many of our brothers only serve Mugar out of fear? The other Simeons respect you. They look up to you! Who better to take command than you? And if you can not prove him unfit, then... "

"Then what, boy? Kill him? So now you are wanting me to commit treason, too? I thought being a rebel was your expertise."

"You know I am right and that there is no other way. If Mugar continues to lead us, there will be nothing left of our heritage or our people. And I for one have had enough! If you want to continue being his lap dog like everyone else, go right ahead."

"That is no way to speak to your superior officer, boy!"

"Then give me a reason to speak to you otherwise!" Bordu snapped back without hesitation. "If you want to reprimand me for being insubordinate toward you, go right ahead! A good stiff backhand perhaps. Or maybe a kick to the face? Or maybe you should just adopt Mugar's philosophy and shoot me dead, right here and now, just like he did Toru." Argon suddenly looked more angry and furious than Bordu had ever seen him and knew that if he could reach through the cell and strangle him, he probably would. But deep down, Argon knew that Bordu was right.

"Please, sir. If you care about our people and our future, do what must be done before it's too late..." Long moments of silence passed before Argon finally could respond.

"For what it's worth, rookie, I am sorry," he whispered as he turned and slowly walked away. Bordu hung his head, knowing that all hope was lost and that his future, along with that of his people, held nothing for them but death.

As Argon walked away from the detention block, he was plagued by self-doubt and confusion. He could understand the Simeons being reprimanded for their failure to act but executed? It almost seemed... insane. That was the word Bordu had used to describe Mugar. Was the rookie on to something? Was it really him and the rest of the soldiers who were in the dark as to what was actually happening? Argon ground his teeth in frustration and wished he knew what to do.

In his quarters, Mugar tossed and turned restlessly, his dreams tormented by memories he wished he could forget. Suddenly, he woke up screaming and jerked upright on his bed. The Commander quickly composed himself when he realized where he was and got his bearings. Wiping beads of sweat from his forehead, he thought back to the events of that fateful day back in 1975 when his life changed forever.

He remembered all too well Godzilla's radioactive fire tearing through his ship's hull, scorching his flesh as if summoned up from Hell itself somehow. He remembered screaming like a helpless child as he was thrown from the ruined craft and fell, plummeting towards what he thought would be his death. In the briefest of moments, he had shown weakness and felt fear. In seconds, all his pride, courage and dignity had been swept away from him. He had literally prayed for death to come and take him as his burnt, broken and mutilated form lay upon the ground, not because of the physical pain but the psychological anguish. He had not only failed his mission and his people but himself as well.

The shame he felt since that terrible day festered within him like a cancer that ate away at his very soul. It had transformed him from the Simeon he once was into the embittered shell of an ape that he was now. Back in the day, things were different. HE was different.

He thought of Toru, the Lead Programmer he had killed. Once, long ago, he also had partaken of Earthly offerings. But now, the planet or anything connected to it reminded him of the events of the day which he would be destined to live over and over again in his nightmares until he died. All that remained now was rage and he would use the burning maelstrom of his agonized fury to sear the Earth, its people and everything that existed on it.

"Kill them all... I WILL KILL THEM ALL!" he bellowed savagely, letting his anger overtake him as his body shook violently. Visibly shaken, he staggered into the lavatory and threw some water on his face. He placed his hands on the basin for support and leaned against it with his head down. Then he heard the voice.

_Pathetic..._

"Quiet..."

_Useless..._

"I ordered you to be silent!"

_Look at me when I am talking to you, fool!_

"SHUT UP!" Mugar bellowed as his head snapped up, staring at the mirror in front of him where he appeared as a younger, unscarred ape.

_Look at you... old... weak... frail. A decrepit waste of a Simeon!_

"I am the Supreme Commander! No one speaks to me in such a manner! I will have you -"

_Have me what? Killed? Moron! I am you! But then again, you have been as good as dead since 1975, haven't you? Maybe you should put a bullet in your skull and save yourself this pretentious act of pretending you still have any courage or dignity left._ With an enraged roar, Mugar punched the mirror, shattering it to pieces but the voice in his mind didn't go away.

_And now. Here you are, pretending to give a damn about this mission. About our people, about anything at all, for that matter. Tell me... Do they know what you have planned for them?_

"Shut up!"

_They are all going to die and it's going to be by your hand._

"Get out of my head!"

_Just think... One push of a button and it is all over. You, our people... The entire planet for that matter._

"It must be done! There is no other way!"

_Who are you trying to convince? Admit it. You are a coward_!

"NO!"

_Yes, you are. And you know it!_

"Enough!"

_Oh, no. It will never be enough. If you had any backbone, you would never have brought that thing with you in the first place?_

"I am the Supreme Commander and leader of our race! I can and will do what I wish when I wish!"

_You command nothing! You... are... worthlessssssss._ Mugar let out a horrific howl as he repeatedly punched the wall where the mirror once was until his fists were bleeding. He stormed out of his quarters without even grabbing his mask and headed toward the hangar where Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus were.

Mugar walked up to what looked to be nothing more than a featureless wall on the far side of the hangar but when he pushed on a particular panel, a secret door opened and he stepped through. A short hallway led to a single door where he stopped for a moment as if unsure whether or not he wanted to enter. Grunting angrily, he punched the control panel and it slid open. Mugar slowly walked to a console with a series of monitors. Above this area was a single window looking into another massive chamber which contained a missile. He slowly placed a shaky hand on the glass in a gesture that was almost a caress.

"Soon it will all be over. Soon... very soon," he mumbled with a wild look in his eyes.

The following day in the main control room of the base, the sentenced Simeons had been chained to a wall with their arms and legs manacled and spread to prevent any movement. Mugar slowly paced back and forth in front of them before addressing the officers he had assembled for the execution.

"My comrades, we are gathered here so that the importance of success and what truly being a Simeon means can be fully understood. These soldiers failed to act when duty and circumstances demanded them to do so. The penalty for such weakness is death. They showed mercy when there should have been none. They showed compassion in a scenario where it was unacceptable. They showed that they were incompetent in the performance of their duties as sworn members of the Simeon Empire and its proud army. This cannot and will not be tolerated! Action must be taken and an example made so that all of you will learn the true cost of failure and cowardice." Mugar pulled out his knife and stepped up to one of the prisoners. The ape was terrified.

"Fear is also unacceptable," he snarled, noticing the soldier's expression. He then swiped the blade across his face. The wounded ape let out a painful cry as dark green blood flowed from the gash. "You brought this on yourself and there is no one else to blame. You should accept your death with dignity!" Mugar hissed as he buried the blade so deep in his right forearm that it hit bone. The ape shrieked as Mugar dragged the blade upward until it reached the shoulder. He then tore the sleeve off to expose the other arm. Carefully, he used the knife's finely honed edge to peel and slice strips of fur and skin off the extremity. Everyone looked on in horror as Mugar then ripped open the ape's vest, exposing his chest and belly. He slowly began to push the knife to the hilt into the tortured ape's abdomen where he twisted it. Bordu looked away, unable to watch anymore but this attracted Mugar's attention and he flew into a rage.

"NO! You will watch or you will be next!" he ordered, lunging over to Bordu. The Commander grabbed hold of his face and forced him to look at the mangled body. "And anyone else who looks away for even the briefest of moments will also be executed! Is that understood?" he bellowed insanely, eyeing the officers in the control room. He then resumed tormenting his victim, carving and slicing chunks off the ape's body as if he was cutting up a roast.

The unfortunate Simeon had been gritting his teeth, trying to cope with the pain until it became so intense that his teeth shattered from the force he was exerting. Blood splattered all over Mugar's mask when he screamed but he paid no heed, almost entranced by the misery he was causing. He ripped out the knife and stabbed it directly into the ape's left eye to elicit another horrible scream. Mugar pulled out a second knife, leaving the first in his head. The pitiful creature was no longer moving, looking as if he was about to pass out from the pain until Mugar got his attention by stabbing him directly in the groin, resulting in another mournful howl.

"I am not finished with you yet, vermin! You will not pass out until I say you can! Is that understood?" he roared like a maniac.

"Murderer! You really are insane!" Bordu exploded but Mugar ignored him and stabbed the tortured ape's belly. Giving the knife a sharp jerk, he sliced him open and intestines spilled out on the floor. Mugar reached down and grabbed a handful to rub in the dying soldier's face.

There were those present who could not believe what they were seeing and others who looked as if they were going to throw up. Mugar sliced the blade across the Simeon's throat and blood and bile erupted in a nausea-inducing flood. The ape finally went limp and slumped with only the chains holding up his lifeless body. There were looks of utter horror from everyone who had been forced to witness the slaughter.

"Look at it! Look at the blood, the way it pools on the floor. What a wonderful, beautiful picture it makes as it seeps out of the body! A breathtaking tapestry signifying the true and ultimate finality of death. Indeed, pain and death are the only absolutes in life. And how wonderful a feeling it is to see it taken in such a manner! To possess that power, to wield it as if you were a god!" Mugar rambled on and began to laugh hysterically. One brutally obvious fact was starting to make itself painfully clear to anyone watching: Mugar was nuts! The Commander then calmly turned to the other prisoners.

"Him I showed mercy. The rest of you will die far slower," he threatened in a menacing tone. "And you are next!" He walked over to Bordu, holding the bloody knife up in front of him as the young ape stared at his Commander in a mixture of fear and anger. Just then, Argon strode into the room, hoping to persuade Mugar to cancel the execution. He pulled up short when he saw what had transpired, shocked and mortified as it was not scheduled to take place for another hour as far as he knew.

"Commander? What is going on..." he started to say, staring at the dead ape hanging from his chains.

"Glad you could join us, Argon," Mugar said coldly, his eyes still fixed on Bordu.

"Sir, what is the meaning of this?" Argon asked in disbelief.

"What does it look like? It is an execution."

"This is not an execution! This is a sick and abhorrent exhibition of cruelty! We do not execute prisoners in such a manner and not publicly either!"

"If you know your place, Argon, and what is good for you, you will stand back and quietly observe like everyone else. Is that clear?" A slow and steady rage built up within Argon as he stared a hole through the Commander.

"No."

"... What?"

"No, sir! It is not clear." Mugar turned from Bordu and looked directly at Argon. Behind the mask, he seethed with unbridled fury.

"How dare you speak to me in such a manner! I could have you shot for insubordination!"

"Which would just be one more irrational decision you have made recently, Commander!" Argon snapped angrily. Taken aback by his words and reaching the mental breaking point, Mugar tightened his grip on his knife.

"And what if I decide to gut you where you stand right now?" he growled as alarms began blaring, startling everyone.

"Commander! Proximity alert, sir!" an ensign yelled as he picked up something on the base's external scanners. Everyone turned to a large monitor as it flickered on, revealing the nightmarish form of the Gudis coming down for a landing just outside the base. There was terror and confusion as everyone in the room kept looking back and forth between the monitor and the stand-off between the Commander and Argon. Then a voice came over the speaker.

"As much as I hate to break up this little heart-to-heart you're having, I have important business to discuss with you," the Gudis said, his telepathic voice also entering the minds of everyone in the control room. Both Mugar and Argon turned to the screen.

"Gudis? Quickly! Launch Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus!" Argon stammered.

"If you really want to send your little tinker toys out here for me to play with, by all means, go right ahead. But you might want to hear what I have to say first."

"There is nothing that needs to be said, monster!" Argon grunted. Seeing the Gudis in all its nightmarish glory was chilling, to say the least, but he stood his ground, refusing to be intimidated.

"You're not wondering why I'm even bothering to converse with you apes when I could have just obliterated your pathetic little base from a mile away?" Gudis asked casually. He got Argon's attention but the Simeon was still wary.

"What could you possibly have to say that would be of any interest to us?" he finally asked.

"I will keep this short and sweet and use small words so your little monkey brains will be able to understand me. Within your compound is a powerful weapon capable of cracking this planet like an egg. Hand it over... now."

"What are you talking about?" Argon shouted in confusion as Mugar's face went pale behind his mask.

"Oh... Of course your proud Commander didn't see fit to share that little tidbit of information with you, did he? You are correct. He is quite insane. And what's sitting behind your hangar bay is proof of it."

"This is preposterous! Why are we even having a conversation with this thing? Launch our weapons immediately!" Mugar commanded.

"Belay that order, Ensign!" Argon counter-manded him.

"What?" the System Technician questioned the Chief in surprise as Argon turned to the Commander.

"It may sound crazy but there has to be some reason why the Gudis isn't just smashing his way in here and slaughtering all of us on the spot. Commander... Is there any truth to what he is saying?"

"What? You would take this freak's word over mine? The Gudis is insane!"

"As I am beginning to believe you are as well. Ensign, run an internal scan of the base for any abnormal or out of place energy readings."

"Touch that console and I will have you killed where you sit!" Mugar raged but didn't move with Argon standing so close to him.

"Ignore him, soldier! Run the scan. Now!" Mugar went for his pistol but quickly felt the barrel of another one pushing against the back of his head. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Argon holding the gun. The ape at the Security Control console stared at them, not sure what to do.

"Run that scan now, Ensign," Argon directed him.

"Running scan, sir. I am picking up a potent radiation signature... From... behind the hangar bay. Just like the Gudis said." A captain confirmed the read-outs in surprise.

"What kind of radiation, Ensign?"

"Vasnium artesorate, sir. The kind used in anti-matter hyper nukes."

"Pa-pay load?" Argon stuttered.

"10,000 gigatons, sir," the specialist informed him as his face went pale. A look of shocked disbelief swept over everyone present.

"Why would you bring such a weapon here? Why did we not detect it before now?" Argon demanded, quickly turning to Mugar as rage was about to overtake him.

"Because it was just recently completed, fool!"

"By whom?"

"Apes I blackmailed into constructing it with components brought here from the Simeon homeworlds before the planet was pulled into the black hole. I threatened to kill their families if they did not co-operate."

"Where are these workers now?"

"Why, they are dead, of course. Along with their families. I couldn't take the risk of any of them revealing what had been done so I pumped the chamber full of poison gas upon completion of the project while they were still inside and then had their families rounded up and executed." Argon was on the verge of madness himself as he tried to resist the temptation to just pull the trigger of his blaster.

"You never gave a damn about this mission in the first place, did you?"

"You are finally catching on. I guess you are not as stupid as I believed you to be. But you still don't get it, do you? None of this matters, none of it! All that matters is what was done to me! My pride, my dignity, my very life was stripped away by Godzilla and those damned humans! I will make them pay for what they did to me!"

"You would jeopardize our entire race and way of life just to satisfy your petty plan for vengeance?"

"I would massacre a million of our brethren a thousand times over to make this world suffer!" Long moments of silence passed as Argon slowly lowered his weapon and turned away from Mugar for a brief moment. He then spun back around, giving him a roundhouse right to the temple, knocking the Commander to the floor.

"Commander Mugar, I hereby relieve you of command under Code 4J6K12 of the Simeon Military Regulations and Command Directives Guide. Under the code, I hereby state that I find you mentally unfit for command of this or any other force in the Simeon Army and you are to be detained immediately." Mugar's only response was a low chuckle that could barely be heard within his mask as he rolled over on the floor and looked up at Argon.

"Is that so? And what if I refuse to step down?"

"Then I am authorized to detain you... by whatever means necessary."

"You don't have the guts."

"Try me," Argon challenged him with a steely glare as his right index finger hovered over the trigger of his blaster, now pointed directly at Mugar's face. Every ape present wondered what was going to happen next.

"Very well," Mugar muttered as he slowly got off the floor and was grabbed by two ranking officers on each side. They removed his side arm and knife to hand over to Argon.

"Take him to the detention block. I will deal with him later."

"Yes, sir!" they responded proudly before marching their prisoner out.

"And release those apes," Argon ordered, pointing to the wall where the accused were chained. Bordu smiled in admiration and relief as Gudis patiently watched the scenario in the control room wind down.

"Well, well... I guess you fur balls aren't complete morons after all. Good job, Bonzo! Do you want a banana? Now, then. If you are done with your little soap opera, hand over the warhead," he snarled over the speaker.

"Why? As long as we have it, you can't, or more precisely, won't do a thing to us. That sounds like a good insurance plan to me," Argon replied rather smugly.

"I am not one to be trifled with, Simeon! If you do as I ask now, I will make your deaths quick and painless. But if you defy me..."

"You are in no position to make demands!" Argon exploded. "We will never bend or bow to your will. You destroyed our home and our way of life! You created the black hole that wiped out our entire solar system! All of this has happened because of you!" The other apes looked at him in disbelief. Argon then realized that he had just divulged the most dreaded secret of his people and their history.

"Really? I wiped out an entire solar system without even knowing it? Well, you know how it is. Ten galaxies, twenty, a hundred, a thousand over countless eons. It really all starts to run together eventually," the Gudis figured with a vile grin.

"You monster! You murdering bastard!" Bordu roared.

"Are you all done crying yet? Do you need a box of tissues?" the Gudis grunted sarcastically. "What is it that you want? An apology? Do you honestly expect me to care about your useless, insignificant little star system and the scurrying rabble you called a civilization? Just how stupid are you?" he shouted, the words full of contempt.

Meanwhile as Mugar was being taken to the detention block, they passed the hall leading to the hangar bay. Suddenly, he slammed his shackled fists into the face of the guard to his right and kicked the other in the groin before lunging for the hallway. They recovered quickly but as the detail drew their weapons, Mugar hit a control panel, bringing a pair of blast doors together and cutting them off from him.

"Chief Argon, sir!" one of them radioed the main control room.

"Yes, what is wrong?" he asked, hitting a microphone button on a panel in front of him.

"Mugar has escaped from us, sir! He is heading for the missile chamber!"

"Interesting..." the Gudis grinned.

Argon dashed out of the control room as fast as his injured leg would allow and reached the hallway a few moments later. The guards had been able to get through the blast doors by hot-wiring the control panel. There were screams coming from up ahead so Argon quickly but cautiously made his way down the corridor with blaster drawn and at the ready. When he reached the hangar, he discovered the bodies of the two other guards who had been shot dead. He figured that Mugar had managed to grab one of their weapons. Looking around, he spotted an entrance on the far wall of the hangar bay that he had never seen before. Charging into the room, he spotted Mugar in front of the missile silo.

"Mugar! Stop!" Argon yelled, firing his blaster. His quarry ducked and shot back as he dove to the floor and into a roll, his second shot striking Mugar's weapon and disarming him.

"What now? Are you going to shoot me?" he growled sarcastically. After a few moments, Argon slowly lowered his weapon and put it back into his holster.

"Actually, I kind of like the idea of pounding you senseless," he replied, advancing toward him.

"You wouldn't dare strike a superior officer, would you?" Argon hit him with a solid roundhouse right. As Mugar fell backward, he pressed his advantage but got a stiff kick to his injured leg. As Argon fell, Mugar kicked him squarely in the face, sending him rolling across the floor. He got to a kneeling position but Mugar tackled him hard and into the wall next to the entrance where they both went down in a heap. Argon got Mugar off of him by unloading a nasty uppercut to the insane ape's jaw. As he stumbled back from the vicious blow, Argon lunged but Mugar grabbed him in mid-air and with a judo throw, sent him flying toward the far side of the room. Before he could get back up, Mugar landed several kicks into Argon's rib cage and kidneys, knocking the wind out of him. As he tried to get up, a punch directly to the temple put him down again.

"And you thought you were going to stop me? Hah! You are just as useless as Toru was," Mugar sneered as he threw another punch. Argon reared up in time to catch the fist in his right palm. If he wasn't angry before, he was now, closing his hand around his adversary's until he could hear bones being crushed. Mugar slowly fell to one knee, trying to resist the pain but failing as Argon regained a fully upright stance.

"The only one who is useless here is you!" Argon snarled before grabbing Mugar and throwing him across the room. His body crashed into a computer panel, causing sparks to fly. As Mugar started to rise, he kicked him in the face. "You would have killed us all!" Argon roared as he nailed him with another right to the face. "Slaughtered every male, female and child!" he exploded, connecting with a swinging left that put him down again. "Well, I have had it with you!" Argon growled as he landed a third punch. "Actually, we ALL have had it with you!" he raged as he hit him a fourth time.

"You are not..." POW! "our..." WHAM! "Commander..." SMACK! "anymore!" Argon roared, hitting Mugar with one fist, then the other to the head repeatedly. He then grabbed the staggering ape, jerking him up off the floor by his vest collar. "You are finished!" he proclaimed, giving him another furious uppercut that knocked the mask off his face.

As Mugar fell, he landed next to his blaster which he quickly grabbed and sprang back up. Argon lunged and the two apes wrestled with the gun between them. Mugar gave Argon a brutal head butt as his second-in-command retaliated with a knee to the gut while they continued to struggle for the weapon. Suddenly, it went off and both apes froze. Argon slumped down to his knees as Mugar stumbled backwards, holding the gun in his right hand.

"Now who is finished?" he laughed sadistically. But his laughter stopped when he looked down at a trickle of blood on the floor and realized that it was coming from him. Mugar roared angrily as he lifted the gun towards Argon who was dazed but still able to draw his own blaster and fire. The first shot went through Mugar's left shoulder, the second into his abdomen and the third into his heart. As Mugar staggered back against the missile controls, he dropped his gun.

"Let it burn... LET IT... ALL... BURN..." Mugar trailed off with his dying breath as he fell, slapping his right hand on the launch button.

"NO!" Argon screamed but it was too late. With a deafening roar, the engines of the missile came to life and began to lift it off as he looked on helplessly. The compartment opened to the sky and it rose up and away.

"Fools!" the Gudis shrieked as he watched the rocket take off. He quickly unfolded his wings and followed, trailing behind as it entered the upper stratosphere and into space. It had been programmed to go into an orbiting arc before re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.

"Here I am, fighting with humanoid monkeys and a super nuke and I'm not even a member of the NRA," Gudis joked. He finally caught up with it and began to push against the main warhead with all his strength as the booster rocket disconnected and fell off behind. Slowly but surely, Gudis could feel the momentum of the missile beginning to shift as he strained against the Earth's gravitational pull. He was finally able to shove it away from the Earth. Gudis stayed with it, pushing it farther and farther into space, not wanting it going off anywhere near the planet. Suddenly, there was an internal malfunction and he sensed a chain reaction beginning within the warhead.

Argon rushed back to the control room where the other Simeons had seen Gudis taking off after the missile. A bright explosion of light flashed amongst the stars. "Sir, the warhead has somehow been detonated!" an ensign exclaimed excitedly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. The readings are unmistakable!" They all began cheering as Argon breathed a sigh of relief.

"What about the Gudis? Any DNA signatures or life signs?" he asked.

"Too much radiation interference to tell, sir. But nothing within range of that thing when it went off could have survived. I would say that the Gudis is history."

At the other end of the room, a lone Simeon huddled down behind some computer equipment and softly spoke into a microphone hidden in his vest lapel.

"Captain, this is Nanbara."

"We are receiving you, son. Go ahead," a voice replied in the communications headset he was wearing, appearing no different than those the other Simeons used for radio contact.

"The missile was launched but the Gudis went after it. It has been destroyed. Over."

"Excellent! What about Mugar? Over."

"I don't know, sir. Argon rushed back to the missile chamber when the guards radioed he had escaped from them. Obviously, he launched the missile but what happened to him afterward is unknown at this time. Argon is here in the main control room now so I assume the former Commander has been dealt with. Over."

"So if ever there was a good time..."

"It is now, sir."

"Acknowledged. Over and out." The Simeon slowly peaked out from his hiding place to make sure no one had spotted him and cautiously stood up.

"It looks like we have managed to avert a major disaster, sir," the Ensign declared.

"You mean like the end of the world? And actually, boy, as hard as it is to believe, the credit for this save goes to the Gudis," Argon admitted.

"Sir, is what you said about the Gudis being responsible for the destruction of our homeworld true?"

"Unfortunately, yes, Ensign. I will have a meeting with all personnel to give a full explanation of the events in question," Argon assured everyone. He was still shocked that the murdering demon who had wiped out their home had inadvertently saved the last remnants of the Simeon race from extinction. The irony of it all baffled him to no end. It was then that the proximity alarms went off yet again.

"What now?" Argon yelled. As the large monitor flickered back to life, a huge flying ship came into view. It was the GOTENGO and the most massive army that either G-FORCE or the JSDF had ever assembled.

Defensive warning systems told the Simeons that Muuvian subs off the nearby coast had missiles locked on them. The mothership's sensors also detected Megalon approaching underground directly beneath them before stopping just short of the buried base.

"How did they find us?" Argon stammered in frustration. The GOTENGO then bored deep into the ground, lining itself up directly in front of the main entrance.

"Sir, we are receiving a transmission from the ship," the Ensign cut in. Argon looked at him in a mixture of confusion and shock.

"Patch it in," he grumbled breathlessly. A visual of the command bridge and the Captain came on the screen.

"This is Captain Douglas Gordon of the air battleship GOTENGO. You will stand down and surrender without resistance immediately."

"I am Second-in-Command and Chief of Security Argon. I am guessing you had a spy infiltrate our base?" Argon addressed his adversary.

"Yes, we did," the Captain replied.

"I see. You do realize, of course, that we are far from defenseless."

"Yes, we know all about your ship's capabilities, as well as your new cyborgs and the new armaments they possess. If that is the decision you make, so be it. The Muuvians also have their earthquake generators aimed at the bedrock beneath your ship and directly above, a Nebulan weapons satellite has you in its sights as well."

"It appears that you have thought of everything, Captain."

"We do try."

"Then think about this. We are not afraid. The Simeons are a race of warriors in every sense of the word. We are prepared to die fighting if need be," Argon stated flatly.

"Very true. But is that really what you want to do? Is that what you want for your people? Maybe, just maybe... there can be an alternative..."

"Oh, you mean like execution at a military prison perhaps?"

"It doesn't have to be that way if you don't want it to be, Commander," Gordon suggested.

"Commander? I already stated that I am only the second-in-command."

"Not anymore. You relieved Mugar, correct?"

"Yes... In a manner of speaking..."

"So that makes you the new Commander. You don't mind me calling you that, do you? I'm sure your subordinates won't mind..."

"I... I guess I am after all..." Argon turned to look at the grinning and nodding apes all around him. "Just how much do you know about what has been happening here?" he then asked Captain Gordon.

"Everything, Commander. We know about Mugar's insanity, the missile, the Gudis attacks, the desperate plight of your people - you name it. That is why we are willing to negotiate with you."

"I see. What about your superiors? I think they may disagree."

"Yeah, they no doubt will. But it won't be the first time that I have pushed for something that my commanding officers haven't been too thrilled about. And I have a habit of getting my way, one way or another." Argon lowered his head for a moment, deep in thought. "It is entirely up to you, Commander. Do you really want another war with this planet after everything you have already endured?"

"... No."

"And we can also guarantee you that your civilians will come to no harm."

"Thank you."

"I know there are those of us on both sides who think the other is a bunch of barbaric killers and such. We are both guilty as races of having individuals like that amongst our ranks. But just this once, perhaps... we can try a different path."

"Can I have a moment to converse with my troops in private, Captain?" Gordon wanted to trust the Commander. From everything that had been relayed to him by their spy, it seemed that this particular Simeon was an honorable one but Gordon was hesitant. Maybe it was a trick of some kind...

"All right. But if you try to do anything that even APPEARS to be aggressive..." he warned sternly.

"I understand."

"You may kill the audio link but the visual will remain on," the Captain informed him. After some serious deliberation on Argon's part, he turned to his soldiers.

"I am not going to lie to you about our situation, my brothers. We are in no position to even try to negotiate. Maybe the Captain is sincere, maybe he's not. All I do know is that it seems like this entire operation was doomed from the start. There are so few of us left now that it hardly matters. Even if we used our great weapons to retaliate, between the humans, the Gudis and the other aliens, would any of us survive long enough to celebrate any kind of victory... if we do somehow manage to win?

"I can not make this decision for you. As your commanding officer, I am supposed to but I have seen too much of that kind of irrational logic to know that it will lead nowhere good. I also know that some of you didn't even want to be part of another offensive but saying 'no' to Mugar or disobeying any order that he gave would end in death.

"But things are different now and I will let each of you make your own decision. I wish I could offer some kind of comfort or say something to ease the worry that I am sure many of you are feeling, both for yourselves and your loved ones. I... I really don't know what else to say to you..." Argon admitted.

"Trust him," a voice whispered to his right. The new Commander turned to see Bordu standing next to him. "I know it sounds crazy but... I just feel something about him. Something that tells me this might actually work out." Argon started to reply but stopped when he realized that if he had listened to Bordu's instincts before, a lot of the misery their race had endured at Mugar's hands could have been avoided. He looked at his brethren who nodded in agreement with Bordu's assessment.

"So be it. Whatever our fate may be, we will face it together... to the end," the Commander proclaimed proudly. He went back to the viewscreen and turned the audio back on. "Captain Gordon?"

"Yes, Commander?"

"We surrender ourselves into your custody."

"Excellent, Commander. I'm glad that we could reach an agreement. And I promise you that no harm will befall you even if I have to break a few rules myself," Captain Gordon assured them smugly.

"Yes, you do strike me as the kind of human who would do that," Argon replied with a sly grin of his own.

"GOTENGO over and out," Gordon signed off with a genuine sense of pride as he broke the connection. Argon then turned to Bordu.

"Not bad, rookie."

"What?"

"Everything. I just wish I had started listening to you a lot sooner, my boy. Can you forgive a rickety old soldier for being blind and naive?" Argon asked in an almost sheepish voice.

"Absolutely, sir."

"You know, rookie, I smell a promotion in your future," he added with a grin.

_New Allegiance_

At G-FORCE headquarters in Tokyo, General Aso exploded in anger when he found out what Captain Gordon had done. The commander of the GOTENGO simply rolled his eyes, knowing this was going to happen. Now he faced the uphill battle of trying to reason with the shrewd army veteran. When Aso asked to meet with him privately, Gordon knew he was going to be in for an ear-full.

"We made no such promises to the Simeon race!" he insisted, looking like he was seconds away from an aneurysm.

"I know that, sir. But look what it got us! The Simeons surrendered without a fight. They could have retaliated with their cyborg and robot if they wanted to but we diffused the situation." Aso took a moment to try and calm down and compose himself before he continued.

"I am pleased with that, Captain, but the truth is, you made promises and decisions that you were not authorized to make."

"And you act like I have never done that before," Gordon replied with a smirk.

"I am glad you find this amusing, Captain, because I do not! Have they at least been incarcerated?"

"Of course, they have. But I do have a crazy idea, sir."

"Coming from you, I am quite sure it is! Do I even want to hear it?"

"General, look at our current situation. We are facing possible alien and kaiju invasions on an unprecedented scale. We have already secured help and alliances with other races to face whatever may be ahead."

"I'm not sure I like where I think this is going, Captain," the General frowned.

"Sir, just imagine these new and improved versions of Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus - fighting FOR the Earth instead of against it."

"Hmmm... I can see the logic and value of that. We could force the Simeons to show us how to operate these weapons systems..."

"Well, sir, there is still no guarantee that we will be able to do so or that any human will be able to comprehend the technology. Maybe we could persuade them to help us of their own free will?"

"Please don't say what I think you are thinking..."

"Why not? The Simeons would make good allies, wouldn't they?"

"Ugh! You said it! I think I feel another migraine coming on. Did I ever tell you that I have a lot of those when I am around you, Captain?" Aso was once again very agitated and started rubbing his forehead.

"General, you know what happened at the Simeon base just as I do! Mugar going quackers, the Gudis attacks, the general confusion and unrest their entire operation was under during the whole ordeal."

"And your point is?"

"Look at them, sir. They are tired, homeless, desperate and out of options."

"Desperate men, or whatever the hell those things are, sometimes do dangerous things."

"Not if negotiated with properly."

"There will be no negotiation! TWICE these invaders have tried to conquer Japan, along with the rest of the world, and wipe us out! And you expect me to just sweep all that under the rug and forget about it?"

"Mugar was the driving force behind those invasions, sir. He's dead now. And I, for one, think we can trust their new commander."

"You are, of course, referring to this Argon character, I assume?"

"Yes, sir. He was the one who killed Mugar, after all. And in truth, he also seemed to be in doubt about this third operation of theirs."

"I don't share your enthusiasm, Captain."

"And what would you do, sir? Have them all executed? If you want to get technical about it, these Simeons haven't really done anything yet."

"No, but they planned to."

"No, sir. Mugar planned to and he's gone now."

"And you expect us to be able to trust the Simeons?"

"We can offer them what they have always wanted - a home. And one I am sure they will fight for against whatever comes here to threaten us. We can keep them under constant surveillance, with regular reports and updates directly to you. Personally, I think they will go for it."

"And what if not all the Simeons share the mentality of this Commander Argon?"

"We have already seen him deal with things like that firsthand and we'll be there to deal with it also... IF something should happen with them. If we play our cards right, sir, we could pull off a major coup for the defense of our planet," Captain Gordon stated confidently. General Aso ran his hand through his hair in frustration as he pondered the whole idea. Gordon waited patiently with bated breath.

The Simeon leaders had been locked up in small groups at their base while the civilians were kept in their quarters under Japanese military guard. Argon paced uncomfortably back and forth in a cell, plagued by doubt that he had made the wrong decision. What if Captain Gordon cannot make good on the promises he made? What if by doing this, I have sentenced my entire race to death?

"Do you think we broke some kind of record?" Bordu asked, standing nearby.

"Uh, what was that, rookie?" Argon stuttered, temporarily losing his train of thought.

"Three invasion attempts, three defeats..."

"No one can ever accuse us of being inconsistent," Argon replied with a slight chuckle that Bordu shared, although the Commander was far from seeing any humor in their situation.

"What do you think is going to happen to us?" the younger ape continued.

"I just don't know, kid," Argon answered truthfully, bringing his arms up from his sides in the human gesture. Their thoughts on the matter were interrupted when the main entrance to the confinement area opened and footsteps could be heard coming closer. Soon, Captain Gordon appeared.

"Well, folks, I have news." All of the apes within earshot in the adjoining cells stood up and came to the doors to listen intently as he began to speak. "The government has decided to offer you amnesty."

"What?" Bordu blurted out in total shock as Argon, along with several other Simeons' jaws literally hit the floor.

"Here's the deal. You fight alongside us against whoever else is wanting a piece of this planet and you are free to go," Gordon explained. Argon, like the others, could not believe what he was hearing. In his mind, the best they could have hoped for would be life-long imprisonment but this was more than anyone could have ever imagined. "You will, of course, be under our constant supervision. My superiors are still wary of this whole set-up, you understand..."

"Of course," Argon agreed, finally able to speak.

"The only question that remains, Commander, is will you fight alongside us to defend the Earth?" After a long moment of silence, he finally replied.

"Yes, we will!" he declared as his brethren raised their arms in the air and started yelling and cheering.

"Fantastic! Also, I figured you might like to know that when all this is over, after whatever threats out there have been dealt with, a meeting will be held with the U.N. to discuss immigration details and resettling of your people here on Earth," Gordon continued as the entire cell block once again exploded in a chorus of even louder shouts and cheers.

"We will be proud to defend... our new home," Argon stated with a grin as he stretched out his right hand which Captain Gordon readily shook with a big smile of his own.


	8. Power Plays

Shortly after the Simeon stronghold had been inspected by G-FORCE and liaison officers assigned, a special meeting was scheduled at the United Nations. Commander Argon had requested it and had something very special and important he wanted to present. Along with a small party of Simeons and a JSDF security detail, he flew to New York for an announcement that would be televised worldwide.

"Humans of the planet Earth," Argon addressed the delegates and the cameras. "In the past, we came to your world as invaders and conquerors, wishing to claim this planet for our own. After two defeats, a third, desperate and final attempt was made in what amounted to nothing more than a futile suicide mission spearheaded by a mentally unstable Commander who had planned to destroy the Earth completely. Once we realized this, we overthrew him and surrendered ourselves to the mercy of Captain Douglas Gordon and the Global Defense Force.

"We now wish to live in peace with you and forge a new existence for ourselves here on this planet; to salvage and rebuild what remains of our own lost world and culture. We do not expect to be welcomed with open arms and know that we will face much hatred, scorn and skepticism from the people of Earth for our past actions. We seek to redeem and prove ourselves as allies to humanity against whatever new threats you may face to protect what we hope shall eventually become our home as well.

"As part of our pledge, we wish to give something very special to the people of Earth to prove our sincerity. I understand that back in 1965, the Xians offered you a false miracle cure for all disease as part of a cruel ruse in their failed attack on your world. I am afraid that we cannot offer you the same but I can assure you that THIS is no ruse." Stephen Hawking then entered the great chamber but he was not seated in his wheelchair; he walked in on his own two feet, much to the shock and awe of everyone present. Looking happier and healthier than he had ever been, he came up next to Commander Argon and put his right arm over his shoulders with a smile. He then stunned everyone once more by speaking - with his own voice.

"After all the destructive beings that have come to our world, finally a race with amazing things to offer us is here if we can forget the past and look to the future. I am not a delegate, nor do I have any say in the rulings of this august body but I challenge the United Nations to forge a lasting peace with the Simeons. Pardon them for their previous crimes and welcome them as new citizens of the Earth. With their amazing advances in robotics and cybernetics, incredible breakthroughs can and will be made for people like myself with crippling afflictions the world over. I desperately urge the United Nations to make the right decision." Everyone remained quiet for a few moments before the first of what soon grew to be many delegates rose and began clapping until the entire hall filled with thunderous cheers and applause.

After the final tally, the UN did just as Stephen had asked but the vote was not unanimous. There were those who were still wary and untrusting of the Simeons. How relations were handled between them and the human race would be crucial but the first step had been taken. Only those that followed would decide where they would eventually lead.

_Into the Breach_

Back in Seatopia, Angelique was preparing to return to her quarters when she noticed a figure passing by her garden. Ramon, the King's aide, stood out starkly against the colorful surroundings in his white garb and appeared to be looking for something. It was unusual for him to leave the King's side, let alone stray this far from the palace. Curious, she decided to follow him.

Ramon entered another garden on the outskirts of what was referred to in Seatopia as the 'green belt'. From a distance, Angelique watched and saw him stop abruptly and lean down. He looked about as if checking to see if he was being watched before pulling out a small pair of clippers to cut petals from one of the many plants. Hidden behind a tall fern, Angelique was confused, knowing full well what flower he was collecting but not understanding why he would want it.

The Xandolos flower, native to the undersea kingdoms of both Seatopia and Mu, was incredibly beautiful - and potentially deadly. When he was finished, Ramon took one last look around before rushing away.

Angelique discreetly followed him to one of the botany labs where she quietly watched him mix and grind various ingredients, including the Xandolos petals. He then poured the concoction into what appeared to be a tea mix. Just then, a communicator he was carrying beeped, startling both him and Angelique but she did not make a sound. With a wary and cautious expression upon his face, Ramon looked around before answering it.

"Have you completed your task?" Fumio asked.

"Not yet but I am preparing it now and shall give it to him shortly."

"Good. You remember the plan, I trust?"

"Yes. Once the King is dead, his assassination will be blamed on the Mu. The resulting civil war will remove them from the surface conflict." From her hiding place, Angelique stifled a gasp that Ramon thankfully did not hear.

"Excellent. Contact me again when you have succeeded." Fumio ended the conversation.

At the royal palace, the King was in conference with his military advisors.

"The truth is, your majesty, Megalon is the only true weapon we have for any battle that would take place outside of our kingdom. After the wars with the other undersea kingdoms long ago, our military suffered a similar reduction to that of Japan after the Second World War. This was further compounded by the later banishment of weapons of mass destruction in favor of the peace treaty forged with those same kingdoms. We have an army that is more than capable of defending our homeland but battling abroad."

"Megalon is all that we shall need. He possesses more power than a hundred armies," the King asserted.

"Against the surface dwellers, perhaps, but the weaponry and technology that these various invaders are bringing to the table is cause for concern, I believe. Megalon's recent battle with the Kilaaks proved that."

"After wiping out a Natal invasion force single-handedly, after which the cowardly Kilaaks took advantage of our weakened defender," Antonio countered.

"I am not questioning our god's strength, your highness. Please do not mistake my worry for disrespect for that was not my intention. But that is the issue at hand, I am afraid. These aliens have no sense of honor or fair play. They have come to wipe this planet clean and take it for themselves by any means necessary. To quote the English, in war there are no 'Queensbury rules'."

"Are you suggesting that we pull out of this conflict?"

"My king. If we lose Megalon, we lose our greatest defense. If the invaders should come here-"

"Which is why we are combating them on the surface before they have a chance to reach our borders," the Emperor cut in. "I thank you for your input but my decision is final." With that, the military officials bowed and departed as the exhausted ruler retired to his chambers.

Reaching them, he realized that Ramon had not yet arrived with his evening tea but he was only a few minutes late. He was approaching the front gate to the palace with cup in hand when Angelique stepped into his path.

"May I help you?" he asked.

"You shall not take that tea to the king," she stated frankly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You will give it to me. Now," she demanded.

"I shall do no such thing! Now step aside or I shall have the king's guards remove you."

"I know what that cup contains. It was my garden you picked the Xandolos petals from," Angelique confronted him. There was a momentary look of surprise on Ramon's face but he quickly composed himself.

"Have you lost your senses, woman? This is the king's evening tea which I deliver to him at this time every night. And I am also late so please get out of my way."

"You are a liar and a traitor!" she accused him angrily, her raised voice getting the attention of the guards nearby. Ramon signaled them to come forward with his hand. Seeing them out of the corner of her eye, Angelique knocked the cup from Ramon's hands. It shattered on the ground as the guards grabbed her.

Prince Hector quickly learned of her arrest and rushed to where she was being held.

"Angelique! What has happened?" he shouted in dismay as he ran to her cell, reaching his hands through to touch hers as they gazed at one another.

"Please listen closely, Hector. There is no time and your father's life is at stake!" she exclaimed.

Back at the palace, Ramon was about to hand Antonio a new serving of tea when Prince Hector burst through the doors to his chambers.

"Take another step toward my father and I will kill you where you stand!" the young prince swore, drawing his sword and pointing it at the king's aide who froze in horror.

"Hector! Have you lost your mind?" Antonio was flabbergasted by his son's demeanor.

"He intends to kill you, Father. The assassination will be blamed on the Mu to start a civil war that will remove the undersea kingdoms from the United World Powers."

"Ramon is almost as old as I and has served me loyally without question his entire life! You would dare to accuse him of such treason? What proof do you have of this?" the King exploded, abruptly rising from his seat.

"Angelique saw him take Xandolos petals from one of the gardens and then mix them into your tea. She also witnessed him speaking of your murder with a yet unknown collaborator via communicator."

"I find that hard to believe, my son..."

"Father, you may not approve of Angelique but she is not a fool nor is she blind."

"Th-this is preposterous!" Ramon stuttered nervously.

"If that is true, Ramon, then you will not object to the contents of that cup being examined by our botanists, yes?" At the prince's suggestion, he broke out in a cold sweat, his eyes shifting back and forth between the King and his son.

"Ramon?" Antonio asked. His aide abruptly downed the tea himself, much to the shock of Antonio and Hector. A few moments later, he dropped to the floor, dead. The King was speechless but finally managed to gather his wits again.

"It appears you were correct, my son," he said in disbelief. "I am sorry that I doubted you."

Soon, undercover Nebulan agents in Seatopia reported what had transpired.

"It appears that Ramon has failed us," Kubota observed.

"So it would seem but other opportunities will present themselves to deal with the undersea kingdoms," Fumio figured.

"And what of the inclusion of the Simeons into the UWP?"

"I must admit that was something that I had not planned on but we shall deal with them soon enough," the Chairman said confidently, not letting any of the recent setbacks deter him in the slightest.

Elsewhere...

"RUN! QUICKLY!" a terrified father yelled to his wife and two children as they fled for their lives. Caught out in the open countryside near Mount Fuji, a Giant Condor was bearing down on them. The huge predator judged them to be easy prey from its vantage point high the sky. The family had been enjoying a picnic before the hungry monster spotted them and now was rapidly closing in.

In seconds, he would snatch them up when WHAM!, the huge bird was knocked out of the sky by a flying boulder and crashed to the ground. Hearing the commotion behind them, the people stopped running to look back at the dazed creature flopping around. The massive bird looked up to see a bipedal insectoid kaiju standing in front of him. It was Megalon.

Angry at the interruption of what should have been its lunchtime, the Condor took off with a shriek and a flap of its wings, straight towards Megalon who just stood there, unmoving. When it reached him, the Seatopian guardian swatted it aside with his drill, sending it crashing down once more. This time, he didn't give his feathered foe an opportunity to recover and unloaded a combination of his crest beam and explosive pods, sending the big bird back up into the sky and away. Megalon then turned towards the family huddled in terror nearby.

"Daddy? Is that Megalon?" the little girl asked.

"Yes, it is! He saved us!" her hyperactive older brother hooted excitedly.

"Thank you!" the girl shouted as she attempted to wriggle out of her mother's tight embrace, only to be quickly pulled back.

"Don't go near that thing!" she scolded her.

"But, mommy! He saved us," she pleaded.

"No, that thing is a killer! Nothing more, nothing less!" their father insisted.

"But the sea people are supposed to be our friends now, Daddy! Remember?" his son explained.

"I don't care! That doesn't mean that... THING is our friend! If the Seatopians had any sense, they would put it down like a rabid dog and be done with it!" Megalon started to move toward them but the father picked up a rock and chucked it at him. "Stay away! Get away from us!" he roared angrily before grabbing his family and running away with them. Megalon watched them flee and shook his head, thinking that humans had a very strange way of showing their gratitude.

"Do not let it get to you," a feminine voice behind him suddenly said in kaiju speak. Megalon spun around to see Mothra Virgo sitting on the ground just a few meters away. The old Seatopian warrior was familiar with the Mothras and the ancient race of fairies who worshiped them. The two kaiju began to converse with one another in a language only their kind can understand.

"Mothra, I presume?" Megalon was somewhat confused as he was not familiar with this new imago.

"Yes, I am Mothra Virgo. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," she apologized.

"It is of no consequence. What are you doing here?" Megalon asked.

"Watching you."

"Watching me? Watching me do what?"

"Be a hero," she explained with what for her passed as a smile on her mandibles.

"Oh, that. It was going to eat them. I had to do something..." he muttered with a slight blush, "The surface dwellers are supposed to be our allies now, is that not so? But, please... Answer one question for me. Do the humans always react so strangely?" His mind could not comprehend the response he got from the man after he saved them. Mothra saw the sadness in his big eyes.

"You are used to being praised and worshiped. Humans, I am afraid, have a slightly more jaded view of beings like us."

"Is that your attempt at modesty or humor, goddess?"

"A little of both, I would say. But you really can't blame the humans for feeling the way they do, can you?"

"No, I suppose not. Most of the kaiju who walk upon the surface are irrational killers."

"Give it time. Look at me! I am supposed to be one of this planet's guardians and even recognized as such. But there are still those who hate me for simply being what I am, which in their eyes is a big scary monster."

"Indeed. It would seem that ignorance is a flaw that many humans share."

"If you need to hear it from someone, I will be more than glad to say it."

"Say what?"

"That I am glad that you and your people are now our friends and allies. Perhaps humanity can learn something from the Seatopians."

"Perhaps... But don't you think that you are simply being rather hopeful about all this?"

"I always believe there is hope," she replied and started to lift off the ground with a waft of her great wings, "Fare thee well, champion of Seatopia," she called out as she took off into the sky with a happy chirp. Megalon watched her go and then burrowed down into the ground, disappearing from sight.

_Affairs of State_

At the White House, a dinner was held to celebrate the joining of the Simeon race with the United World Powers. In attendance were Commander Argon, Bordu, General Aso, Captain Gordon, Fumio Subo, King Antonio, the Empress of Mu and the Prime Minister of Japan. The Simeons were in their human guises so as not to upset anyone with their true appearance. The State Dining Room was lavishly decorated in honor of this most auspicious occasion but it was a portrait of Abraham Lincoln that held Argon's attention before he addressed the American leader.

"We thank you for having us and being such a gracious host, Mister President."

"Not necessary, Commander! This entire nation thanks you for the great service you have done us," he replied.

"A toast, ladies and gentlemen! To our new friends and allies!" the Prime Minister announced with pride as he stood up, holding his wine glass high. Everyone did likewise, although some individuals present seemed slightly less enthusiastic about recent developments. General Aso was still somewhat wary of trusting the Simeons. Fumio Subo could not help but wonder if their addition to the alliance would cause any disruptions or problems, albeit for reasons no one else would even begin to suspect.

"Tonight we celebrate the joining of yet another race to our cause! Although we and the entire world are in a tumultuous time right now, this is a moment that should be treasured and observed!" he continued. Commander Argon then stood to address the guests.

"My friends, tonight is the culmination of a dream that our race never thought it would see come true. After many long years of unrest, disillusionment and turmoil, the Simeons finally have a place that we can call... home. And after all the fighting, all the pain and all the death, it was the understanding of people who had no reason to forgive us for the past that made this possible. I refuse to pretend that the horrid events of 30 years ago did not happen! We wish to answer for those crimes by offering our aid and if need be, our very lives in defense of our new home. That is a solemn promise that I make to the Prime Minister, the people of Japan and the world itself." The entire room erupted in thunderous applause. Fumio looked at Argon and clapped his hands slowly in a somewhat disgruntled manner as he frowned.

"A wonderful speech, Commander Argon! You do your people proud and are a credit to them," King Antonio congratulated him with a smile.

"No, your highness. It is those who provide me wise counsel and work with me that do us all proud and are a credit to my people," Argon replied, looking over at his newly-promoted Lieutenant and Adjutant, Bordu, who returned his smile with a slight bow.

"Yes, indeed. Unity is the source of true strength and enables a nation as a whole to accomplish more than any one individual could ever hope to," the Mu Empress proclaimed. It was then that the President stood up.

"And the people of the United States thank you as well, Commander. This historical occasion will be remembered as the means by which the Simeons and humanity came together at long last. Again, Commander Argon, I thank you and America thanks you. We will always be in your debt."

"And, of course, we must not forget about the superb negotiating skills of one Captain Gordon, yes?" the Prime Minister added with an almost sly smile as everyone in the room began to applaud again.

"Well, after knowing what all happened there, I just figured, why not? Maybe some of you know of the situation at the Simeon base by now and some don't. But what I knew is that I had faith in this proud soldier and decided to try to maybe achieve a different outcome. And I am glad I did! Here's to you, Commander Argon!" Captain Gordon proclaimed, holding up his glass as the Simeon returned the salute with a nod.

"Mister Subo? Mister Subo, are you all right?" the Prime Minister inquired, taking notice of Fumio being lost in thought and looking none too pleased in the process.

"What? Oh, yes, of course. I am fine, Mister Prime Minister," Fumio replied, his cool demeanor and a big smile returning to his face.

"This is truly a remarkable achievement, is it not?" the official continued.

"Yes... wonderful," Fumio assured him.

"And what about you, General Aso? You haven't said a word all evening," he further prodded.

"I do not have anything to add, Mister Prime Minister. I am just glad that our forces have made it through another day. And for our illustrious guests, of course," Aso replied with a bow. He did not want to break the festive mood or upset the Prime Minister but it was going to take time to adjust to having one of the most murderous alien races in Japan's history as an ally. The General was also still trying to shake off doubts about Fumio Subo as well. Now he had more things to worry about that kept him awake at night, as if he needed that.

_Of Simeons and Nebulans_

All seemed well with the new co-operation between the Simeons and humanity but there were those who saw things differently. Behind the closed doors of a cargo bay, the new arrangement did not sit well with one group of Simeons; twenty-four to be exact, led by Nargas, the soldier who had tried to kill Bordu.

"All right! Is everyone here?" he shouted. "Very well. I will make this short and sweet. Even if Mugar was insane, when he was a competent leader, a situation like this would have never come to pass. Peace is unacceptable! The humans are vermin to be crushed underfoot. Nothing more, nothing less. Are we in agreement?"

"You know we are, Nargas! That goes without saying but just what exactly do you suggest we do about it?" one of his cohorts asked.

"Yes, what would you have us do? Take on the entire planet by ourselves? That would be suicide!" another blurted out.

"And who here wouldn't prefer death to the horrid and disgraceful existence that we have all been condemned to by our new so-called Commander, Argon?" Nargas asked with a hiss. Silence was the only answer he got. "We will take the ships in the hangar bay and attack the city of Otaru, not five miles from here." Their response ranged from evil glee to outright shock.

"You are just as crazy as Mugar was, Nargas! What can we hope to accomplish?"

"A true warrior's death, my brothers! It is what we rightfully deserve as proud members of the Simeon Army. And we will die with pride and dignity! Have you forgotten why we came here? What our destiny is? I have not! What say the rest of you?"

"I have heard enough!" one ape declared, turning to leave. A second later, he was shot through the back and laying on the floor, dead.

"Participation in this mission is not optional," Nargas growled as he put his blaster back in its holster. "You either die in battle with me or by my hand here and now. Is that understood?" The others remained unmoving as they stared at him. "Now we will attack... and spare no one, be it human... or Simeon," he threatened.

The rebels casually made their way to the hangar. When they were inside, the doors were locked behind them as Nargas punched in the necessary key code. A mixed security detail of Simeons and humans was present for a routine inspection of Titanosaurus but Mechagodzilla was not there. He had been sent into space to check the quadrant where the super nuke had gone off for any sign of the Gudis.

Nargas nodded to his accomplices who quickly donned gas masks and threw gas grenades in all directions. They also drew their weapons and opened fire. Within seconds, the security personnel were neutralized and the rebels boarded the Simeon attack ships. Engineers in the hangar's control room were in no position to intervene as they were unarmed. One of the guards who had been shot crawled over to a control panel and triggered the emergency alarm before Nargas finished him off from across the bay.

"Now what?" one of the apes yelled from his cockpit.

"It doesn't matter now. We will be long gone before they can even get in here," Nargas replied as he activated his ship, turned its hover jets on and remotely opened the hangar doors.

At a temporary holding facility nearby, First Officer Nanbara scrambled the GOTENGO's crew to board the massive warship and respond to an emergency at the Simeon base. General Aso had ordered the ship to remain in the area instead of returning to Tokyo in case something went wrong with the surrender and realignment of the military forces. With Captain Gordon in Washington, Nanbara was left in command. The great ship's engines quickly roared to life and it lifted out of its berth, plotting an intercept course with the Simeon craft.

On the outskirts of Otaru was the Midorimachi district, home to several schools and libraries. One of the grade schools had emptied out for a fire drill on this particularly clear and sunny day when the children noticed what appeared to be space ships of some kind flying towards them.

"What's that?" one young boy asked.

"Looks like UFOs or something," a little girl piped up.

"They are! They're Simeon ships!" another child hooted excitedly as all of the children began jumping, cheering and waving at the aliens the government had told them were now their friends.

"Kill them all! Leave no survivors!" Nargas howled into the radio to the rest of the fleet following in close formation behind him. They bore down on the school, firing laser cannons. Surprised and horrified, the teachers and children scattered, running and screaming in terror. Anyone hit was either dismembered or incinerated in the unexpected attack. One teacher tried to shield a child as a laser bolt obliterated the top half of her body and took the child's head off. The carnage sent bodies flying in all directions and in some cases, not intact. As another teacher went flying through the air from the concussion of one of the blasts, she looked over at a little boy whose hand she had been clutching, only to see just an arm where the child had been. The school itself exploded, with debris crushing several others trying to escape the devastation.

"Open fire, damn it!" Nanbara screamed when the GOTENGO arrived and he saw the blood-soaked torment unfolding below.

"Sir! Teachers and children are still out in the open!" the Tactical Officer noted.

"I said fire! We have to get those ships to come after us instead of the civilians." When a round of homing missiles took out three of the Simeon craft, Nargas and the other apes took notice.

"Attack! For the glory of the Simeon Empire!" he roared as the remaining ships zeroed in on the massive battleship which was flying towards the open countryside and away from the city. They swarmed the GOTENGO like a colony of angry bees, unloading their laser cannons in a massive assault.

"Damage report?" Nanbara yelled.

"We're taking a lot of hits but it doesn't look like their armament is powerful enough to breach our hull, sir."

"Good. Take them out," the First Officer ordered. A relentless torrent of missiles and beams were fired. The Simeon ships dodged skillfully but were slowly but surely destroyed one by one.

"We'll get picked off like flies, Nargas!" one Simeon radioed in panic.

"We don't have the firepower to compete with that thing!" another reminded him.

"Then I guess we just need something that will make a bigger bang," Nargas growled to himself as he accessed his control console. Using his uncanny skills as an aviator, he patched into the command modules of the other ships. Three pilots suddenly lost all control from their cockpits.

"What is happening?" one hapless Simeon stammered as he twisted and jerked futilely on his control stick. Nargas had total command of the ships and veered one directly toward the GOTENGO. The pilot tried to eject but got no response whatsoever from his craft. He screamed in terror as it dove right into the main engine with a massive explosion.

"Nargas, what happened?" another shouted over the radio.

"Vokan kamikazeed the GOTENGO. He died a true warrior's death!"

"It sounded more like he was screaming in terror to me," another pilot remarked.

"Enough chatter! Continue the assault!" Nargas ordered.

"We have lost the main engine, sir! We're losing stabilization!" the GOTENGO's Chief Engineer warned.

"Switch to hover jets." Just then, Nargas crashed a second Simeon craft directly into their starboard side. There was another huge explosion and those engines went offline.

"Starboard hover jets gone, sir!" the engineer shouted, looking like he was ready to throw a tantrum.

"Brace for a crash landing!" Nanbara ordered as the GOTENGO spun wildly out of control before running aground.

"Nargas, are you accessing our ships' command codes?" one of his remaining wing mates demanded. The misguided ape smiled sadistically, ignoring the accusation as he sent a third ship spiraling directly towards the command bridge.

"Take out that ship!" Nanbara ordered as the GOTENGO opened fire with its bow-mounted laser cannons. At the last possible second, the alien craft was blown to bits with only charred pieces of its hull bouncing off their bow.

"He is! He's gone nuts!" one Simeon cried out as they watched the latest disaster. Of the 23 craft that had begun the attack, only 11 remained and another volley of laser fire took down four as they tried to retreat.

"Cowards! You will stay and fight!" Nargas ordered.

"It is hopeless, Nargas! Even grounded, that ship can still fire its weapons in any direction!" one of the pilots tried to explain.

"This is suicide!" another added.

"There are no cowards in my army!" Nargas screamed as he opened fire and blew away two of the fleeing ships. The rest of the rebels were on the verge of panic.

"What is he doing?"

"Nargas is even crazier than Mugar was!"

"Die, traitors!" the maniac roared as he continued firing but just then, a homing missile from the GOTENGO scored a glancing blow to his ship. It started to wobble and veer off course, out of control. The remaining Simeons tried to get away but other missiles closed in to blow them out of the sky.

"Is that all of them?" Nanbara asked.

"Only one ship remaining, sir, and it looks like it's headed for a crash landing." Nargas ejected before his damaged craft went down nearby, leaving behind a plume of fire and smoke. When he reached the ground, he fled into the forest in case anyone tried to come after him. After running for a couple of miles, he stopped and leaned against a tree to catch his breath.

"Useless cowards! They deserved to die!" he grumbled to himself.

I couldn't agree more! a voice suddenly said inside his head. Nargas flinched, drew his blaster and looked all around.

"I'm afraid you'll have to aim a little higher than that, monkey boy," the voice now spoke from above him. Nargas spun around, only to find himself looking at a massive pair of feet. He slowly followed them upward to see the Gudis. Nargas screamed, firing at the gigantic super beast but the monster just stood there, appearing almost bored as the Simeon futilely discharged his weapon.

"Are you finished yet? You know, you should really switch to decaf," Gudis joked, shaking his head. Nargas dropped his blaster, shaking in terror as he stared at him. "Alright. Now that you have had your little conniption, how's about we have a little talk, hmmm?" Gudis asked as he knelt down.

"Wha-what?" Nargas stuttered, frozen with fear.

"You know, have a little chit chat. Hang out. Talk about girls. Maybe later, we can do some cow tipping? Well, in my case, it would be skinning them while they're still alive and then eating them raw but hey, why nitpick over details, huh?" Nargas stood in disbelief before finally managing to utter a slight squeak. "You're such a stimulating conversationalist, you know that? Oh, who am I kidding! I have had discussions with algae that had more depth than this," Gudis groaned sarcastically.

"Yo-yo-you're supposed to be dead," Nargas finally managed to whimper.

"Yes, yes, I know. Big bad missile go boom. But nonetheless, here I am. The truth is, I managed to escape the initial explosion but got a nice little power boost from the shockwave when it hit me. But it didn't come without a measure of pain, mind you. Let's just say I now have a new appreciation for how Wile E. Coyote feels a lot of times."

"You were going to kill us all!"

"Who says I still won't? But anyway... Of course, you nimrod! Your former Commander made Charles Manson look like Mother Teresa. Not that I didn't find that entertaining but I couldn't allow Captain Skitzo to blow up the entire planet. That would have been most disconcerting as I have plans for it, after all," he explained with an evil grin. "Would you like to be a part of it?"

"Wh-what?"

"Of the plan. Of me."

"Huh?"

"Is any of this sinking in? Do you understand the words that are comin' outta my mouth?" Gudis hollered, doing an impression of the human actor, Chris Tucker while making talking gestures with his hands.

"A part of it?"

"Yes, Nargas. Join me and you will have power that you have only dreamed of! I watched your attack on the school. It was beautiful to behold! The blood, the flames, the body parts. It brought a tear of joy to my eye. Do you want to kill all the humans? Do you want to see them suffer and die as they deserve to?"

"...yes."

"Very well. So shall it be!" The Gudis stretched out his right hand, letting loose a waft of spores which swept over and covered Nargas. He hit the ground, writhing in pain and screaming as they started to transform and mutate his body. He grew and changed, ripping out of his uniform. Another set of arms and an extra pair of eyes appeared as he swelled to nearly the size of Gudis. His face became a contorted demonic visage of the Simeon he once was as its four eyes glowed a bright red.

"Go, my child! Kill and destroy everything you see," the Gudis commanded. The creature bowed and bounded back towards the city at amazing speed. Gudis laughed like a maniac as he unfolded his wings and took off into the sky. He knew that Nargas would eventually be killed and truthfully, he couldn't care less about the moronic ape. His only reason for doing this was to test his newfound strength after absorbing the energy from the Simeon bomb detonation's shock wave. Normally, his ability to mutate other lifeforms occurred at a far slower rate. That obviously wasn't the case anymore.

Gudis pointed his right hand at a nearby mountain and fired a concentrated energy beam of terrible power, completely decimating the top of it. Needless to say, he was quite pleased with these results also.

In the aftermath of the carnage caused by the attack on Otaru, the survivors were trying to look after the injured, as well as deal with the many bodies of those who had not been as lucky. They were soon interrupted by the horrifying roar of the quickly-approaching Nargas mutation. Outside the city, the grounded GOTENGO picked up the monster on its scanners.

"What on Earth is that?" Nanbara exclaimed.

"No idea, sir. But whatever it is, it's making a beeline for the city!" the Tactical Officer advised.

"Launch homing missiles now! Lock on to that thing and blow it apart!"

"No good, sir. We're out of range!"

Once again, the screaming started as everyone fled in terror from the monster. One shrieking teen-age girl was quickly snatched up by Nargas who lifted her up to drop in his mouth. A laser fired from behind, slicing the arm that was holding her off above the elbow. It fell to the ground as Nargas howled in pain. He spun around to see Titanosaurus charging directly at him before he was tackled hard.

After Nargas and his followers hijacked the Simeon ships, it was decided that Titanosaurus be sent to Otaru as a safety precaution and assist with rescue operations. It turned out to be a life-saving decision. As the two kaiju went down, people scattered. Titanosaurus threw Nargas through the air, sending him crashing into a library that had been cleared. After the first attack, most of the people had been evacuated from the city. The ones who had returned to search for loved ones and survivors were now imperiled once again.

As Titanosaurus moved forward, Nargas demonstrated his new freakish strength, using his three remaining arms to rip up an entire building and hurl it at his attacker. Titanosaurus was hit hard and Nargas took advantage of this, leaping through the air.

The ape monster landed on top of him and proceeded to pummel the cyborg with his appendages, even the cauterized stump of his upper left arm. The construct pushed him off and dished out a beating of his own, connecting with punches and head butts that sent the creature reeling back. It then grabbed the monster by the throat, lifting it up and bringing it back down with a choke slam. Titanosaurus tried to use his left leg missile turret but Nargas bounded out of the line of fire, taking advantage of the extreme agility of his new form. He also displayed a new ability and fired beams out of all four eyes but they could not penetrate Titanosaurus' force field.

One of the beams did take out part of the foundation of a college building nearby and it started to topple over towards some people. Titanosaurus had to quickly rush over and stop it from falling on those trying to get away from the structure. Nargas rushed up and started beating on his back. The cyborg gave him a backhand that sent the monster staggering off to one side as he held the building up with his other arm. When it was finally empty, he heaved it up over his head toward Nargas.

The mutation looked up just in time to see it come smashing down directly on top of him. As the dazed mutant lifted himself out of the rubble, he received the full brunt of Titanosaurus' cluster weapon. The energy torpedo shot forth from the photon discharger in his cybernetic left eye and disbursed into five blasts which detonated all over his body, resulting in a rain of bloody monkey chunks. Survivors peeked from their hiding places and started cheering the mechanized kaiju standing before them.

"The creature has been neutralized, sir," the Tactical Officer informed Nanbara.

"Excellent!" The First Officer leaned back in the Captain's chair and breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, lets get this heap up and running again!" he ordered.

In Washington at the White House, Argon asked to speak with Captain Gordon in private. "I was wondering, Captain... Just how long has Fumio Subo been a part of this alliance?"

"Actually, Commander, General Aso would know a lot more about that than me but the Nebulans have been here on Earth for nearly 20 years now."

"It seems that he is in very good standing with everyone..."

"It certainly looks that way..." Argon exhaled deeply before continuing with what he really wanted to say.

"Captain Gordon... do you trust me?"

"Trust you? Of course I do! We wouldn't be allies if I didn't." Without the slightest hesitation, Gordon placed his right hand on the Simeon's massive shoulder.

"If I told you something that sounded incredible - even unbelievable - would you believe me?"

"Yes. Yes, I would. What is it that you want to tell me?" the human assured him in all seriousness.

"I need to ask a question first. Have the Nebulans ever talked about their homeworld in all the time that they have been here?"

"Yes... They claim it is a utopia - a paradise."

"I see..." The Commander paused before continuing. "They have been lying to you."

"What?"

"It is true, Captain. Though we have limited intelligence on the Nebulans and their star system, we do know for a fact that their world is dying, being consumed by waste and pollution. Are you familiar with the creature known as Hedorah?"

"Vaguely... Wasn't that one of the monsters that Godzilla fought in Japan back in the '70s?"

"Indeed it was. And it came from the Nebulan homeworld."

"What? They sent it here!"

"I am not sure, to be honest. Maybe it was intentional, maybe it wasn't. Long ago, they blasted it away from their world. The meteor it was attached to passed through our star system. Scans revealed what it was and its place of origin. However, that Hedorah was just the first of what would be a terrible new race of organisms. Curious, we sent long-range sensor probes to Space Hunter M Nebula. They revealed that the entities had spawned at an alarming rate and eventually overran the planet.

"My God! Does anyone else know about this?"

"No one on Earth, apparently. Tell me... Do you know if the Nebulans have made any mention of wanting to settle here, to colonize?"

"Not that I know of. What exactly are you getting at?"

"Mister Subo and the Nebulans may or may not have their own hidden agenda. At the moment, I'm not completely sure. What I do know is that they are desperate and in as much of a need of a new home as my own people are."

"Why wouldn't they just present their case to the U.N.?"

"I don't know. That's what's bothering me about all of this. If they have come to your world as a benevolent race seeking peace and understanding, why the need for lies and secrecy? Something about this doesn't smell right."

"We have to talk to General Aso, the Prime Minister and the rest of the alliance right away!"

"No... Subo has the General's ear, along with the support of the Prime Minister and the rest of the UWP. Plus, the General and perhaps others do not fully trust me or my people yet. That, and the fact that the Nebulans haven't done anything wrong yet - that we are aware of."

"So what do we do?"

"Keep it quiet for now. Or at least until we can figure out what Mister Subo is really up to. He's bound to show his hand sooner or later. I can already tell that he is not happy about our inclusion in the UWP."

"I'll keep an eye on him, I promise you that," Captain Gordon assured the Simeon leader.

"Thank you, Captain. I am glad that you are with me on this."

A few hours remained until the flight back to Japan was scheduled to take off. In the meantime, Bordu was curious about this great American city he found himself in and had asked if he could do a little sightseeing. The President arranged a tour, complete with a guide, security detail and limousine.

They were walking through the busy streets as Bordu took in all the unique sights, sounds and smells around him. In some ways, it was similar to Japan but in others, very different. As they passed an electronics store with a television display, he stopped to observe what appeared to be a very bizarre program. A human wearing next to nothing was in a tank full of something that looked rather disgusting and was actually ingesting whatever it was as a timer counted down in a corner of the screen.

"Uh... what is that?" Bordu asked, somewhat shocked and stupified.

"It's a television show called FEAR FACTOR, Mister Bordu. It is quite popular," his guide informed him with an enthusiasm that worried him a little.

"Are a lot of human forms of entertainment like this?"

"Not all. This is a recent trend that appeared a few short years ago called 'reality' television."

"Reality television?"

"Yes, sir. There are other programs also. Like SURVIVOR, for instance."

"Survivor?"

"Yes. The premise is that a group of individuals are placed on an island and forced to live in a very primitive manner without any modern comforts."

"What do they have to survive?"

"Just the rough conditions. Some are forced to eat things that most people wouldn't dare ingest because there is no food."

"But you said there was. That they were eating something."

"Well, I guess that is true. It's just something that humans wouldn't prefer to eat if they had a choice."

"If you really were trapped on an island with no standard food items, you would make do with whatever you could find rather than complain."

"Well, if the going gets too tough, they can be taken off the island."

"Huh?"

"Yes. It is part of the rules."

"Are these humans even in any kind of real danger or peril?"

"Well, uh... I, I guess not. Not really."

"Then why do they call it 'Survivor'?" Bordu asked with a cocked eyebrow. The guide stood there, dumbfounded and with a sheepish grin as if he didn't quite know what to say.

"Uh... um, if you'll just walk this way, Mister Bordu, there is some beautiful architecture that I think you will find most interesting." The guide blabbered on, trying to change the subject as he hurried ahead. Bordu cracked a slight smirk and shook his head.

And I thought Mugar was crazy! he laughed to himself, following after him.

Just then, a scream nearby got everyone's attention as an out-of-control car sped down the street. Behind the wheel, an 80 year-old man had suffered a heart attack and lost control of his vehicle. It was about to run down a man on crutches who wouldn't be able to get out of its way in time. Seconds before the car would have hit him, Bordu tackled the human out of harm's way and they both hit the sidewalk as the runaway car slammed into another parked nearby, finally stopping it.

"Sorry about that but I figured taking a nasty fall was probably better than getting run down," Bordu apologized as he helped the disabled man to his feet.

"It's okay. I definitely agree with you. Thank you for -" He looked his savior in the face and froze.

"Are you all right, sir?" Bordu asked as the man's visage reflected sheer fright. "What's wrong?"

"Get away from me!" the pedestrian shouted as he tried to stagger away, only to fall down once more. Bordu reached down to help him up again but the man flinched and pulled away. "You're one of them!" he hissed, trying to crawl away.

"What? What are you talking about?" Bordu asked in confusion as he tried to reach for him again.

"No! Get your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!" the human cursed as he held up one of his crutches to protect himself. Bordu froze. When he reached up to touch his face, he could feel the dangling latex and realized that part of his human disguise had ripped when he hit the pavement after tackling the man.

"I, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you..." Bordu said sincerely.

"Just get away from me!" A large crowd had gathered to applaud Bordu's heroism but stopped when they saw his true appearance. The confused Simeon started to slowly back away, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

"I think we need to go now," his guide suggested as the security detail moved between Bordu and the humans. They made their way back to the limo and piled in, departing in short order.

Aboard the plane back to Japan, Bordu was staring out the window blankly as if lost in thought.

"Sir? Is there anything that you need?" a stewardess asked but he did not respond. "Sir?"

"Huh? What? I, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you the first time, ma'am."

"Is there anything that I can get you?" she asked again with a warm smile.

"No, but thanks anyway," he replied, trying to smile but it was a weak attempt at best. She nodded politely and walked away. Argon was sitting across the aisle, watching him.

"Something wrong, Lieutenant?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Bordu sighed.

"Still thinking about what happened in D.C., aren't you?" Bordu hung his head, knowing that Argon had hit the nail on the head. "You can't let it bother you, Bordu."

"I didn't mean to frighten anyone..."

"Of course you didn't. You saved someone's life, in fact. Which, by the way, was just one more thing to add to the steadily growing list of amazing accomplishments you have managed to pull off recently. Among other things, may I add."

"Amazing, yeah... Amazing that I didn't start a panic," Bordu groaned sarcastically.

"Don't you think you're being a little over-dramatic, as well as too hard on yourself?"

"I guess I just wasn't ready for the response I got," the young Simeon admitted with regret.

"Obviously it was an uncomfortable experience. No one can blame you for feeling dejected."

"Hummpf! You know what? I had almost gone out without my disguise. I guess it is a good thing I didn't go through with that hair-brained idea..."

"Bordu, there is something that you need to take into consideration. The human race has yet to resolve racial tensions that exist within their own species. Just 40 years ago, there were riots and chaos that resulted from racial discrimination and there are still traces of it today. And this is not just in the U.S., it's all over the world. Little things like race, skin color and religious faith still cause much unrest. With that in mind, you can imagine how some humans are going to react to aliens from another planet."

"Yes, I guess you are right..."

"It is something we will simply have to learn to deal with, wherever we might finally establish our new homes."

"This may sound terrible but I almost understand why Mugar wanted to exterminate the humans."

"When Mugar was young and still stable, the irrationality and stupidity that some humans are capable of was one of many things that disgusted him about all of them. But there was something that he never attempted to do."

"What was that?"

"See if there were any humans who were not like the rest."

"Like Captain Gordon..."

"Correct."

"I guess I have no right to complain. Members of our own kind have done some truly atrocious things also."

"It is all relative. There is good and bad in every race and in every nation, no matter who or what they are."

"Do you think we will ever be fully accepted?"

"No, not completely. But that is simply the opinion that some will have. What is important are the friends we make, like Captain Gordon because there will be more of them."

"I hope you are right, sir."

Behind them, General Aso was speaking on his cell phone with a subordinate who was relaying the news about Otaru. He was quickly overcome with sorrow and rage. When he finished the call, he looked at the Simeons with anger and contempt before rising from his seat.

"What we must remember first and foremost is that the human race, be it good or bad, are our allies and countrymen now," Argon was telling Bordu as the General slowly reached for his side arm.

"Traitors! Liars! Murderers! I knew we couldn't trust you!" Aso roared as he pointed his gun at Argon. The outburst got everyone's attention and they turned to see what was happening.

"What the -?" Bordu blurted as he and Argon quickly stood up with looks of shock and surprise on their faces.

"I should kill you both where you stand! How did you do it? Did you contact them when it was time to attack or did you just leave your soldiers orders to carry out after we departed?"

"Perhaps if we knew what you were talking about, it would help, General Aso," Argon said calmly.

"Do not play dumb with me or I will shoot you right here and now!"

"What is the meaning of this? What has come over you, General?" King Antonio asked, standing up from his seat.

"That is what I would like to know as well," the Commander demanded.

"They attacked! They killed and slaughtered civilians!" Aso exploded.

"Who?" Captain Gordon asked, walking up to the General.

"The Simeons, damn it! Their ships attacked a school! Dozens of staff and children are dead!"

"What? How do you know this?" Argon insisted.

"I just got a call from my adjutant. He told me what happened!"

"General, I assure you! If such a thing has indeed happened, neither myself nor Bordu were part of it," Argon declared.

"NO! No more lies!"

"General, I swear to you on my very soul that I have perpetrated no such act!" Argon pleaded.

"Soul? What soul? You do not have one any more than you do a heart! You are barbarians without honor or conscience!"

"Uhhh... How about we just calm down and try to settle this in a civil and logical manner?" Bordu asked nervously, trying to diffuse the volatile situation.

"My daughter goes to school there. I-I don't..." the General started to say but was overwhelmed with emotion. "...I don't even know if she is dead or alive," he trailed off as tears started to appear at the corners of his eyes.

"If the Simeons have committed this heinous act, then they should answer for it," Fumio declared, standing nearby.

"Now wait just a minute! We don't have all the facts yet. We should wait until we get back to Japan and sort out all the details!" Captain Gordon shouted.

"The General is doing what he feels he must, Captain," Fumio insisted.

"And is there a particular reason that you would want to see Commander Argon and Lieutenant Bordu shot, Mister Subo? Or perhaps there is something that you are neglecting to share with the rest of us?" Gordon gave him an icy stare. Fumio was taken aback by the Captain's comments and began to wonder what exactly the human knew.

"General, you cannot know how sorry I truly am for what has happened. And if members of our race have committed this outrage, then I promise you that I will execute them myself!" Argon stated.

"It does not matter. They are already dead. First Officer Nanbara took the GOTENGO into battle and destroyed them all. And you will be next!" the General hissed. Captain Gordon stepped directly in front of the General's gun. "Get out of my way, Captain, if you know what is good for you!" he ordered.

"General, I understand what you are feeling right now but -"

"You understand? Do you have any children, Captain? No, you do not! You understand nothing!" Aso screamed.

"Alright, maybe I don't. But we went into this knowing that some of the Simeons could possibly revolt. Is that not so?"

"I said, get out of my way! That's an order!" Gordon didn't budge.

"General, if you want to shoot someone... then shoot me," he told him as everyone looked on with eyes as big as saucers.

"I was the one who suggested peaceful relations with the Simeons. My orders were to blow their base off the map but I didn't do that. Perhaps, if I had followed orders, none of this would have happened. So, in the end, General, the blame lies with me, not them. The deaths of innocent people in the attack are on my head and their blood is on my hands so if you still want to fire that gun... go ahead and do it. I won't try to stop you," the Captain said sincerely, much to the shock and bewilderment of all.

Long moments of silence passed as the General fumed with silent rage. As he stood there, his hand began to shake violently, as if he was being pushed to his breaking point. Everyone waited with bated breath for his next move. Finally, he slowly lowered his weapon and sank to his knees, sobbing. The Captain knelt down and placed his hand upon Aso's shoulder. With the crisis averted, everyone present gave a sigh of relief.

"We will be back in Japan within the hour. Then we will get to the bottom of this," Gordon promised.

When the members of the alliance arrived at G-FORCE headquarters in Tokyo, General Aso breathed a sigh of relief to hear that his daughter had survived the attack on Otaru with only minor injuries. Captain Gordon's First Officer, Nanbara, had already initiated an investigation of the events surrounding the massacre and dug up some interesting information.

"We found this in the forest outside of the city," he explained, showing them a picture of a torn and tattered Simeon uniform being held up by someone in a bio-hazard suit within a sealed-off containment chamber.

"Do you recognize it?" Nanbara asked Commander Argon.

"Yes, I do, unfortunately. It belonged to a Simeon pilot named Nargas. He always hated the concept of peace with the human race..."

"We believe that he led the attack. He and other Simeons allied with him killed several Simeon and human guards at their base and then took off with the ships. When the fight between them and the GOTENGO ended, one pilot managed to eject. We found the uniform nearby in the forest. It looked as if whoever had been inside it suddenly became too big to fit it anymore," Nanbara explained.

"Is this somehow connected to the ape mutant that attacked shortly after?" General Aso asked.

"We think it is. After a DNA scan, we discovered that this uniform contained spores from the Gudis."

"What? That's impossible! The Gudis is dead!" Bordu exclaimed.

"The scan provides concrete proof, I'm afraid. And how else can we explain the mutation, which is something that we know the Gudis has the ability to do?" Nanbara asked. Bordu hung his head in a gesture of defeat. He wanted so hard to believe that the Gudis was gone forever after the explosion of the Simeon nuclear bomb but that was obviously not the case. General Aso slowly turned to Commander Argon. What he was about to do required a lot of courage and humility.

"On top of all this, it turns out that my subordinate failed to inform me that Titanosaurus had been sent to assist the survivors and fought the mutant. A young teenage girl was nearly eaten by the beast when your cyborg intervened. That girl was my daughter..." the General admitted with a heavy heart as he lowered his head. "Can you... forgive me?" he asked with an almost pleading look in his eyes. Commander Argon took a few steps forward and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"There is nothing to forgive, General. We are allies now. Looking out for one another is our sacred duty," Argon told him softly as General Aso nodded with a slight grin.

"I want to apologize to you as well, Captain Gordon. My conduct on board the plane was most unbecoming an officer," the General added, turning to him.

"Think nothing of it, General. It's not like you didn't have a reason for feeling the way you did." Behind them, Fumio wore an angry scowl. He had hoped that this situation would grow volatile enough to get the Simeons either executed or at least imprisoned again.

"Truer words have never been spoken. Would you not agree?" the Mu empress asked King Antonio.

"Indeed I do! The return of the Gudis is a dire realization but our alliance is stronger than ever. We shall find a way to persevere." Captain Gordon walked up, smacking Nanbara on the back with a laugh.

"Not bad, not bad at all, Nanbara!" he congratulated his First Officer who grinned back at him.

"Nanbara? That name sounds familiar to me for some reason," Argon confessed as he turned to look at him closely, and then the Captain.

"I can understand why, Commander. Allow me to formally introduce you to Koji Nanbara, the younger brother of the legendary Interpol Agent, Shin Nanbara," Gordon offered.

"One of the agents who helped stop the first Simeon invasion back in 1974... Of course! It all makes sense now!" Bordu chimed in as he made the connection.

"I see that you are doing your family name proud," Argon assured the officer.

"I do try, Commander. My big brother was always a huge inspiration to me."

"I can see that you have followed in his footsteps well," Argon added with a grin.

"Take it from me, Commander. Nanbara is the best!" Gordon gloated, placing a hand on his shoulder as everyone smiled broadly, except for Fumio who quickly slipped out of the room.

_Mechagodzilla vs King Ghidorah_

Mechagodzilla had just returned from deep space and was enroute back to the Simeon base when his scanners picked up something quickly approaching from behind. The robot turned in mid-flight, only to be spattered with a slew of beams by King Ghidorah. When the space titanium giant reached the ground, it looked up just in time to see the ponderous feet of the massive beast bearing down. Mechagodzilla barely rolled out of the way as the creature landed. Getting back up quickly, he hit King Ghidorah with various weapons but they seemed to have no effect.

The alien destroyer discharged his wing lightning and the cyborg was knocked to the ground. All three of Ghidorah's heads sported confused looks as the bionic monster got back up, seemingly none the worse for wear. Not giving it a chance to strike again, the space dragon attacked with wing lightning and gravity bolts to send the robot crashing down once more.

A second time, Mechagodzilla got back up, much to King Ghidorah's disbelief as the mech opened fire with everything it had. Beams once again proved useless and even missiles only seemed to cause superficial damage to the space demon's hide as he advanced. Round after round of impaler missiles found their mark as he roared in a combination of pain and anger.

Salvos of plasma missiles exploded on him, the volatile substance eating into King Ghidorah's body. He let loose a cackle of both agony and surprise, at a loss to comprehend the bizarre chemicals that now attacked his body. With this torment came renewed vigor and hatred as he charged forward, mowing down his enemy with his superior size and weight.

A triple head-slam sent Mechagodzilla flying through the air and back down hard but the synthetic saurian warrior popped back up and sped across the landscape toward him, using his jet propulsion. The kamikaze attempt was futile as King Ghidorah swung his massive tails into him and the war machine was sent rolling.

Ghidorah walked up to Mechagodzilla and brought the crushing weight of his right leg down upon him. At point blank range, gravity beams blasted into the immobilized robot. The attacks did no damage and Ghidorah looked down in confusion, not able to fathom or understand what protected this thing from his wrath. Mechagodzilla's shield held up to the onslaught.

His pinned down quarry punched the leg that restrained him uselessly. King Ghidorah raised his heads high, almost laughing as he took delight in toying with this creature. It was then that the mechanized Godzilla doppelganger reached up, wrapping his arms around Ghidorah's right foot.

Using his cybernetic strength, Mechagodzilla gave a sharp twist, breaking the ankle as the winged behemoth let out a startled cry at the excruciating pain. The robot then quickly thrust up his left arm, firing an impaler missile directly between the eyes of the central head. The golden-scaled nightmare recoiled from the attack.

As he stumbled backward, Ghidorah brought his weight down on the injured appendage and his broken ankle completely shattered. As he fell, Mechagodzilla caught him and heaved the 90,000 ton monstrosity up and then threw him through the air. The monster crashed down nearby, flopping awkwardly. As he shook off the cobwebs, he used his anti-gravity to lift off the ground, only to be pelted with countless plasma rockets. King Ghidorah shrieked out in agony as chunks of his torso were blown away, revealing the muscle and bone beneath.

Enraged that this construct could inflict such harm on him, the kaiju howled with rage as he shot forward. He flew at blinding speed, taking the constant barrage until he rammed into the automaton with his wings outstretched. Flying past, King Ghidorah picked up speed until they smashed into the side of Mount Asahidake, the largest mountain in all of Japan. They collided with such force that part of it broke away and came down on top of them.

Moments later, King Ghidorah burst forth from the rubble and attacked the rest of the natural monolith with an endless bombardment of beams. By the time he was finished, half of its over 2,000 meters had been brought down as thousands of tons of rock piled on top of Mechagodzilla. The King of Terror hissed angrily, realizing that he had underestimated his opponent and retreated to gather more Mana while Mechagodzilla was temporarily restrained.

Beneath the debris, Mechagodzilla was undamaged but unable to move. His impaler missiles slid into his gauntlets so he could use their sharp edges as drills. His hands began to spin. It would take time but he would eventually dig himself out.

_PLAN G: Godzilla into Space _

King Karkaru stood on the bridge of the Kilaak star cruiser FLAMING FURY as it hovered over Hokkaido, staring in wonder at the large wallscreen before him. Displayed in all its glory was a colossal rocket, now undergoing last-minute checks before blasting off. He knew that inside its cargo hold was quite possibly the most powerful monster on Earth, Godzilla.

He remembered how King Ghidorah had helped defeat the great beast and laughed to himself. His second-in-command, an older Kilaak, approached from behind. Karkaru acknowledged his presence, still staring at the screen as various human and Nebulan engineers scampered around the great ship like the insects they were.

"Everything is working out relatively well, my friend. Godzilla is about to be shot away from the Earth and Anguirus is dead. The loss of King Ghidorah has taken its toll but the creature will do our work for us, whether we control him or not. He hates the planet Earth. All we have to do is steer clear of him for the time being and he will kill everything off while we activate the planet's volcanos."

"How many have been brought to life?" the old Kilaak asked in a voice that resembled two metal shards scraping against each other. Karkaru turned to gaze into his ancient eyes. Tuket was a rarity if there ever was one.

"Mount Fuji was the first, when we brought King Ghidorah back to life. Then, one in Okinawa. We were looking to destroy King Seesar but Gudis got to him first."

"This Gudis... Do you think he will be a problem for us?"

"I do not believe so, at least not for a while. He seems to want to destroy this planet as utterly as we do. He feeds off energy and will most likely fade into the background once the Earth has been transformed. If not, the full force of the Kilaak army will be brought to bear if need be. It may be near impossible to kill him but a way will be found to subdue him and then we can simply take him back to Kilaak.

By the time the Earth is ready, only the poor and weak will be left there anyway. We also found volcanic activity beneath Osaka and Kobe and some of our troops are crossing the sea to start up the volcanos in the Pacific islands. At the moment, we are currently monitoring six controlled volcanos with 18 potential candidates for the future. We will probably activate the magma chamber deep underneath Osaka again now that we have destroyed the city with our armies."

"Have you found the so-called 'super volcano' yet?"

"No, unfortunately. If we could find that, our job would become much easier."

"Indeed." The old Kilaak looked up at the wallscreen. Karkaru turned as well. The workers surrounding the rocket were moving away as the power-up sequence began. "How long do you think it will last?" Karkaru was puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"That," the elder pointed at the image displayed. "You know as well as I that blasting Godzilla into space is like throwing a Mysterian child to a hungry pride of Earth lions. At some point, one of the various sentient races gathering around Earth will seize the rocket and try to use Godzilla to their advantage. They may try to get genetic information from him to use on other creatures, or possibly even try to control him. Can you imagine what a race like the Xians or Simeons would do if they had control over Godzilla, quite possibly the most powerful monster ever?" Karkaru thought this over. He then ordered one of the technicians to bring up a thermal imaging scan of the area where the rocket would travel in space. There were at least fourteen alien ships of various sizes and shapes present.

"What races do these ships represent?" The technician tried to hack into their computer systems and became frustrated as their defenses blocked him out.

"Too many to make an accurate guess, sir. I see a few that are unidentifiable, as well as a possible Xian ship but it could also be Mysterian or even one of our own for all I can tell." Karkaru's face grew red with anger. He swiveled his seat around to face his second-in-command.

"Commander Tuket, you will go in your personal escort ship and guard the rocket as it rises from Earth's atmosphere. Take a few fighter craft with you for support. Get in touch with the Nebulans and inform them of what you are doing if you have to." Tuket turned to depart, trying to control the devilish smile that threatened to split his face.

At the launch site, a timer counted down to zero as the rocket's engines ignited, slowly lifting it skyward. Several thousand tons of reinforced steel shuddered as it carried its mammoth living cargo toward the stars above.

In vain, a slew of Gudis-possessed human drones that had finally managed to discover the location of the real rocket rushed the platform, only to be incinerated. Two of them clung to the side of the ship but were no match for the incredible G-forces that soon assailed them. They lost their grip and fell into the path of the engine exhausts, meeting the same fate as their brethren.

Aboard the Kilaak Escort Ship TIKOLTEN, orbiting above the launch site at Kyushu, Tuket stared down at the glowing blue world. A beautiful orb it was, but he knew his species would make it even more appealing. He also knew that this would allow the Great Ones to find a new place to call HOME.

He smiled as something glinted in the sunlight far below. The gigantic structure ascending toward him was more like a flying skyscraper than a rocket. It had the general shape of a human cigar, the only feature opposing this design being the rather conspicuous booster system at the back of the ship. Tuket knew that near its center was the most valuable and powerful creature to ever grace the planet below. It was then that he noticed a fleet of Mysterian ships approach from the left. Somebody called out from the bridge behind him.

"Sir, the Mysterians are turning their weapons on us. I think they plan to take the rocket by force." Tuket just sneered.

"Send our fighters after them," he ordered. Tuket watched with growing interest as they accelerated past his own craft to meet the challenge. "Fire at will." The order was repeated to the crews and all hell broke loose. The largest of the Mysterian ships suddenly seemed to melt and vaporize, leaving only about a quarter of it recognizable. This was caused by a massive plume of flames emanating from the TIKOLTEN's primary cannon. The Mysterians opened fire on the Kilaaks, pouring streams of laser energy into the swarm of saucer-shaped fighters, all of which bounced harmlessly off their advanced shielding.

A large Nebulan transport rose ominously from the Earth's atmosphere, releasing a fleet of axe-shaped fighters into the fray. A Mysterian fighter was suddenly ripped in half by a stream of intensely hot concentrated flames that blasted forth from a Kilaak warship. The burning parts descended towards the Earth, pulled down by the planet's gravity. One of the Nebulan fighters turned sharply and thrust itself straight through one of the halves, bursting it into fiery shards. The pilot whooped with the excitement of battle.

The Mysterians, realizing that fighting against the Kilaak shields only served to create more casualties, turned half of their fleet towards the Nebulans. A massive beam exchange took place between the two opposing races before the Nebulans began firing their trademark auto-lasers. Large numbers of Mysterian ships were seared apart by the intense beams and their commander decided it was time for PLAN B.

A single Mysterian warship opened its under-carriage, revealing a silver missile. Most of the others dropped similar ordnance as well, then shot away in unison as the nuclear weapons exploded simultaneously, creating a shock wave that obliterated Kilaak and Nebulan craft alike. The TIKOLTEN was blown sideways by the force but sustained only minor damage.

"Sir! The rocket has taken the blast wave well but it has decreased its speed. Right now, it is on a very unstable course. Another blast that close will certainly bring it down," a helmsman called out. Tuket stared at the raging battle.

"Take me to the rocket. I need to inspect it personally." Captain Parsus stared at his superior incredulously but decided not to question his orders.

"Bring us around and dock with the Nebulan rocket," the officer finally ordered.

"Aye sir!"

Tuket felt a deep reverberation run through his body as his ship connected to the Nebulan rocket. He entered the airlock and pressed a glowing orange button. It hissed open and he boarded the massive vessel, followed closely by a platoon of armed and ready Kilaak soldiers. The lights flickered and the ship shook as another explosion from the massive battle caused them to grip the walls to remain upright. Tuket continued down the corridor until he reached a doorway marked in several different human as well as the Nebulan language.

G-Containment. Tuket smiled and tore the handle and locking mechanism off and shoved it open. He found himself standing in a windowless room filled with automated computers controlling the ship's life support and stasis systems. Approaching a door near the other end, he unholstered his flame gun. Tuket blasted the door with so much heat that it actually melted, glowing pools of molten metal burning through the floor. He stepped through the twisted frame and found he was on the backside of a gargantuan, sloping structure, more like a hill than an artificial construct. He looked around, seeing nothing but walls and panels, momentarily confused before looking up. He stared in wonder and awe. To his men, it almost seemed like he was in a trance but they found themselves likewise before the massive being that stood on top of the platform above them.

The beast was held in place by reinforced steel bars, chains and cuffs that wrapped around his neck, arms, legs and tail. Godzilla, the most feared creature on Earth, breathed in a labored breath, a noise that echoed throughout the chamber. The creature was in a near comatose state, strangely serene and appearing quite harmless. It was a humbling sight to behold. The being exhaled, nearly knocking Tuket and his men off the walkway. They climbed up a set of stairs and found a massive machine that seemed to have a life of its own. The elephant-sized structure was what pumped the drugs into the leviathan to keep him asleep. Every ten minutes, blood would be drawn from the creature and tested, making sure that he was kept in a stable condition. In case of an emergency, the machine would temporarily shut down to prevent contaminants from entering Godzilla's bloodstream.

The blood was pumped into a tire-sized capsule to be tested. Tuket tore its lid off and took out a football-sized canister that had been given to him to collect the sample. He unscrewed the lid, placed it on a nearby table and carefully set the container beneath the tube that led to the blood storage unit. After several minutes, it was filled. Tuket quickly removed the precious object, allowing the blood to flow freely back into the tester. He put the lid on and torched it shut.

The first part of his job complete, Tuket left the massive chamber and headed back to his ship, his prize slipped into a metal holster on his side. Both airlocks were still open to one another and a soldier stopped to program them to close after the squad had departed. When Tuket re-entered the TIKOLTEN, he smiled grimly at the confused faces of his soldiers.

"Sorry, but your ride ends here." He overrode the computer systems on both ships and shut the airlock on the escort ship. The soldiers tried desperately to close the airlock on the rocket to save themselves but the TIKOLTEN suddenly shifted and they felt an immediate drop in pressure. Their screams were stifled as the Kilaak ship shot away and they were sucked into the vacuum of space. Even with their implanted body warmers, they could not endure the absolute cold of space in the shadow of the rocket. Their forms twisted and contorted; limbs shrinking as their eyes turned to pools of silver. They seemed to collapse in on themselves until they became only tiny, twitching silver slug-like creatures that would, in the end, burn up in Earth's atmosphere, never to be seen again.

Inside the rocket, a message appeared on one of the computer screens in the control center of the ship.

System analysis in progress . . .

Anomaly detected

- Blood temperature increased

- Containment facilities exposed to unsuitable temperatures

- Increased radiation levels

- Contaminants found in blood-storage unit

Stasis unable to support conditions

Automatic Reboot in progress . . .

Temporary Stasis shutdown initiated

Awaiting orders_

Several systems on the ship shut down as the reboot began. The behemoth in containment stopped receiving the drugs that kept him nearly comatose. With a long, eerie moan, the King of the Monsters began to wake up.

A lone Kilaak soldier remained aboard the ship inside the control center, a large table sealing the room off from the extreme cold and vacuum of space. Bewildered and stunned at what had just happened, he looked around and saw the computer screen. He walked over to it and saw the flashing 'awaiting orders' written in Nebulan. Sitting at the console, he pulled up a holographic map of the Earth. The ship was represented as a green flashing dot orbiting around the planet. Currently, the vessel was over the North American continent, near the western side of it. The soldier noted massive numbers of Mysterian transport ships entering and leaving Earth's atmosphere over the human nation known as 'USA'. Deranged and angry at the Mysterians for using nuclear weapons to kill so many of his comrades, he altered the ship's direction. He hoped he could cause its fusion reactor to explode and take out the Mysterian invasion force altogether. Suddenly, the table sealing off the room shattered and the Kilaak was sucked from the ship, along with everything else that wasn't bolted down.

Tuket looked out at the battle that was still going strong high above the Earth. While he watched, a strange bow-shaped star craft fired a nuclear missile at the heart of the melee. Several Kilaak and Mysterian ships vanished in the resulting explosion. These, along with other unidentifiable craft, had joined the fray while he was retrieving the DNA samples from the rocket. They now seemed to be quickly losing interest in the space war, however.

"Sir, are you sure this is necessary?" Captain Parsus asked. Tuket turned to glare into his eyes and pointed a steely finger at the coordinates on the wallscreen.

"What did I tell you? I am the highest ranking Kilaak aboard this vessel and that means your commands are subordinate to mine! That rocket is unstable. The computers inside indicate the propulsion systems were made from nuclear materials. Considering all the explosions going off, have you not thought about what it all means? If a stray nuke hits the rocket, it will trigger a chain reaction that will create an explosion big enough to wipe out the Earth altogether. These coordinates I gave you will bring us to the outer edge of this solar system and considering all the debris that will be flying around, that is not a bad place to be." Parsus sighed. He didn't know if Tuket was lying or not, considering the Kilaaks had never had any nuclear weapons to speak of, or even nuclear energy for that matter. They never needed it.

"Fine," he finally said, following the Commander's orders. Tuket resisted the urge to laugh hysterically. The TIKOLTEN turned away from the Earth and the now-dwindling battle. Three large valves opened on its flat back end and massive white-hot flames burst forth. The ship was quickly engulfed by the hellish display which burned for several seconds and then simply seemed to wink out. The TIKOLTEN was gone.


	9. Coming To A Head

Somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy, a gigantic fireball floats in space. It is a red giant star, a powerhouse if there ever was one. It will one day meet its end but that time is still some million years in the future. For a few select beings, however, it might as well be a week.

A brilliant flash seemed to come from its surface and a gigantic half-sphere shaped object nearly half the size of Saturn emerged from this churning, boiling, incredibly hot ball of nuclear fusion. The object was unscathed by the immense heat generated by the constant explosions of energy taking place on and within the star. The anomaly entered an orbit that would take it around the dying sun every 15 Earth hours.

Suddenly, a white dot shone amidst the many stars overlooking the eerie scene and a much smaller object appeared. On the side of the ship, written in an unknown tongue was the word TIKOLTEN. The Kilaak vessel approached the one orbiting the red giant.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Tuket asked Captain Parsus, more in admiration than as a question.

"Is that... the Empire Ship? I have heard about it. My father used to tell me stories about how it sent our race to our home system. I would have never imagined it was real..." he stammered, dumbfounded by the sheer size of what had been built by his ancestors.

"Indeed," Tuket replied. He had seen this monolith several times before but didn't mention it to his men, at least not yet. "Guide us to that red beacon on the hull."

"Yes, sir." The Captain repeated the order and the TIKOLTEN headed toward the signal. After what seemed to take hours, they entered the tractor beam and a blinding flash of crimson red temporarily blinded them all. When the light died down, they found their 300-meter ship inside a massive hangar, suspended by four large clamps.

"Come with me," Tuket directed his crew, lowering the ramp onto the strange metal floor. They walked through the massive hangar bay which was large enough to comfortably hold the huge Nebulan Mothership and have room for at least two more like it.

After walking for what seemed like a mile, the Kilaaks came to a lone panel sticking conspicuously out of the floor that contained a keypad with the characters of their language. Tuket entered a four-digit code and the sound of shrieking metal filled the bay, causing them to floor beneath them seemed to give way and they were slowly brought down by an electro-magnetic field which reacted with the metallic properties of their bodies and allowed them to hover in the air. The energy field suddenly shot down a massive tube and they descended this 'magnetic elevator' so fast that all passing rooms and hangars were a mere blur. A menagerie of strange creatures zipped by. They had to be other forms that his ancestors had taken on Parsus thought.

Slowly, the elevator came to a halt and they found themselves inside a chamber that dwarfed the hangar where their ship had been docked. The ceiling was so high that it was all but impossible to see and the room stretched out from every point until it disappeared over an artificial horizon. The closest wall was a gigantic window structure from which they had a breath-taking view of the red giant. The Captain was again awed by the sheer grandeur of it all until he noticed what was sitting in the very center of the room.

It appeared to be a statue made of iron and gold, sitting on a throne that was nearly twice its own massive size. With a start, Captain Parsus suddenly realized the significance of the biological structure of King and Death Ghidorah. Why so many alien cultures fear or revere their form is not because of the creatures themselves but because of their creators.

The dragon had an elongated neck ending in a reptilian-like head with eyes of fire and surrounded by a crown of horns. Two long, muscular arms that ended in fingers with blade-like talons were before the Emperor's huge body. On his back, two mighty wings sprouted that seemed to be able to serve a more practical function than his arms. He looked more like a natural quadruped than a biped. His voice caused the Captain's knees to shake.

"Tuket," the entity said in a booming voice. "Do you bring me grief or do you bring me good news for once?" Even Tuket seemed terrified by the piercing eyes of the creature.

"G-Good news, sir. The invasion of Earth has begun anew. We have already activated several volcanos on the planet. Right now, our forces are attempting to control..." he trailed off.

"...Control what?"

"Control King Ghidorah." The Emperor did not move or speak but it suddenly became much hotter in the room than it was before.

"What happened to it?"

"We revived it, just like you suggested but something went wrong. The creature became uncontrollable and turned on us the day our invasion had been planned. We suspect there may have been foul play but-"

"Foul play? Did you seek assistance from another race of beings?" Tuket suddenly realized his mistake.

"Sir... I- I couldn't help it. Karkaru, he-he insisted that we receive biological samples from another race. We didn't have the necessary supplies to-" The Emperor suddenly stood on his taloned feet. Tuket nearly turned around to run but knew that it was useless.

"Tuket, you fool!" he seethed. "I should kill you where you stand for your insolence!" The Emperor's voice reverberated throughout the chamber, causing the floor under their feet to tremble. He approached the group with a speed that belied his large stature. Before Tuket could react, a clawed hand had wrapped itself around his mid-body and pulled him into the air. The Emperor stared into his eyes with a fiery rage that nearly caused him to scream in terror. Finally, the Emperor released him and the hapless Kilaak fell ten feet to the floor, landing head first on the hard surface of the great ship's hull. The Emperor was walking toward the window when he caught up to him.

"I will not kill you because I made a promise to your father that I would never harm you. However, I am afraid I cannot let you go unpunished." The Emperor glanced over at the other Kilaaks. Tuket understood what he was implying and nodded grimly. He knew there was no point in arguing. The Emperor looked up and suddenly brought his head down, charging his crew. They were too petrified to move until the great creature stopped a mere inch away from them. He threw his head up and opened his triple jaw structure before bringing it down and picking them up in his mouth-like appendage, crushing them with his jaws until their screams went silent. A silver goo began to drip from his mouth, falling to the floor and joining with it. When all of the liquid had melded with the floor, the Emperor spoke once more.

"They will serve our cause in their death. No ship can ever be too strong. The metallic blood of our ancestors is what made this ship in the first place. All of our dead are converted into the very thing that they have sworn to protect. Nobody ever goes to waste." The Emperor then returned to the topic at hand. "King Ghidorah was a great being. Death Ghidorah was also. But now, it seems that they have both been permanently lost. Did you bring the samples from the Earth monster called Godzilla?"

"Yes, in fact..." Tuket pulled the canister from its holster on his chain mail uniform and presented it. The Emperor took the capsule and scrutinized it with his fiery eyes before handing it back and heading toward his throne.

"Give it to my officials when they approach you as you leave."

"Don't you want to handle this yourself? How do you know that one of your 'officials' may not be trustworthy? I have learned that almost any race can suffer the penalties of treason..." The Emperor stopped in his tracks and turned to stare at him.

"Let me show you something," he said, going to his seat. Tuket followed cautiously. The Emperor sat down and pressed a button on a keypad that rose before him. A force field suddenly shot down from the ceiling and completely encircled them. The temperature dropped outside the protective shield and a trap door in the floor yawned open. A steel box rose and when it completely filled the opening, its roof and sides fell away, revealing a creature that was similar to the Emperor but somehow inferior.

"What you see here is one who attempted the idea that you would call 'treason'. He tried to drain the heat from this room and then open the emergency escape portal, which would suck me into space and kill me instantly. He was too stupid to realize that I have direct control over the systems in this room. He did not think about his plan well enough. If he had truly hoped for an honorable and intelligent assassination of myself, he would have figured out a way to breach that giant window and then say it was a meteor that must have slipped past our defense systems or better yet, an attacking alien race. But no, he chose the way of a fool. I have been searching for an opportunity to make use of him and believe that now he can serve my purpose well."

As Tuket watched, another box was raised to reveal a strange-looking beast covered in fur and with two huge horns on its head. Its eyes were large and multi-faceted like an insect's. The being only had three legs but its most noticeable aspect was its gigantic jaws, obviously with powerful muscles. Its mouth seemed to be able to swallow a Mysterian whole or snap one in two. The over-sized maw opened and closed ravenously as it looked around the room for nourishment. The traitor had been surrounded in a force field himself, Tuket realized. Yet another steel box rose from the floor. This one contained a human which had been stripped of its clothing and whose rib cage and other bones were clearly visible. The man was obviously starving to death. As Tuket watched the unfolding drama, the Emperor provided commentary.

"The beast you see is a creature from a planet in this very solar system. His world is a very violent and primitive place, even moreso than the one from which the human comes. He was a warrior for one side of his race which is currently involved in a civil war. No matter the victor, they will all fall under our weapons. We are merely watching to see if the victors impress us with some kind of new battle tactics, though that is looking grim. Their world will provide a new base for us to study the effects of super novae when this star goes critical. This one was injured during the war. He once had four legs but one was blown off by enemy fire. His fur was rich and silky but now is dirty and gruff. We captured him after his wounds prevented him from keeping up with his troop. He is quite a ferocious creature, as you can see."

The force fields surrounding the human and the beast were lowered. It snapped its head in the direction of the Earthling who screamed and turned to run but was too weak. The creature leaped across the room and drove the man to the floor. With its remaining arm, it tore him apart. Limbs, bones and organs went flying in a horribly bloody mess.

"Notice how the beast tears apart his prey before feeding. He likes to get the bones and any useless organs out of the way before feasting on the muscle and fat. And look how the blood is reacting to the floor. The ship's hull is rejecting it. The organic blood has no use to this vessel. Organic components are always inherently weak." When the creature had fed, the force field surrounding the traitor was lowered. The monster slowly raised its head and turned to look at the strange being. It could tell this was not food but it had life in it, life and warmth. That was good enough as far as the beast was concerned and charged the traitor who stood ready. Its long, scythe-like claws sparked uselessly and seemed to harm itself more than its target.

With a single, swooping motion, the traitor struck it down into a prone position. He brought his head up and struck his fallen enemy, sending it smashing against the force field surrounding Tuket and the Emperor. The beast slid down the impenetrable shield, leaving a trail of orange-hued blood.

"Do what you wish to me, Emperor, but please refrain from sending these pathetic creatures to be slaughtered by my hand." The Emperor smiled and pressed another button on the console. The gigantic window slid open as the traitor shrieked and instinctively grabbed at the floor. His claws sparked uselessly against the metal as the vacuum sucked him into its relentless eternal cold. The Imperial distorted and shrank into a slug-like creature that was forever trapped in orbit around the red star, too far away to benefit from its heat. Tuket turned to look back at the Emperor.

"Understand?" The mighty being asked. He simply nodded. "Very well. You should be on your way now. Your ship has been... prepared so there will be no suspicion. I hope you don't mind being the only survivor." Before Tuket could answer, he felt a door open underneath him and he was once more encased in the magnetic elevator, only now he was alone. When he reached the TIKOLTEN, he found it in extreme disrepair and looking like it had been through a war. Two tall creatures, nearly half the size of the Emperor but appearing more mammalian, approached.

"We will take the biological samples now." Tuket did not bother to argue or question them, or remain any longer than necessary. As he turned to go to his ship, a strange-looking frog-like creature approached. He knew it was just another form for his brothers but it was one of the lowest possible.

"Your ship is ready for take-off. We have demolished most of the vessel so everyone will believe that it suffered a close-range nuclear blast. You only have a few moments' primary burn, just enough to get out of range. Then you will have to resort to your hyper-booster systems. I hope you have a good sense of direction or else you will be no more than space junk once you return to normal speed."

Tuket nodded silently and entered his ship. He knew how to pilot the vessel by himself but it still felt odd not having anybody to help him or an automatic computer system to take over during the hyper-boost stage. With a silent, nearly sad effort, he powered up the aging warship, lifted off the hangar floor and backed out of the massive Empire Ship. He engaged the main boosters but they quickly gave out. Tuket checked to make sure that he was far enough away, not for the other ship's safety but his own. Hyper-drives were sometimes unpredictable and one wrong move could send the TIKOLTEN crashing into it.

Tuket felt strange. He never thought he would ever feel compassion for his men but he had been through much with them. Some might be sacrificed but he didn't realize that he would be the only survivor. It was one qualm of being a member of the most populous race in the universe. With a final shake of his head, he activated the hyper-drive. Slowly, the massive High Council ship of the Iron Empire sank back into the red giant. Soon, a new war horse for the Empire would be born and then, they would be unstoppable.

Back in Earth's orbit...

Aboard the AVENGER, the last remaining Mysterian vessel, its dwindling crew felt a massive jolt as a wave of intense electro-magnetic energy wiped out its propulsion systems. The nuclear blast was from one of the other alien ships but their sensors were too damaged to identify whose or which one.

The Captain, an elderly veteran of the Great Human-Mysterian War, stared out through the view port before him. The once proud 13th Mysterian Fleet, the most powerful force of their entire space armada, had been wiped out. Chonsho looked down at his display screen. The Nebulan fleet, for the most part, had also been obliterated. The unidentified ships had disappeared. Even the Kilaaks had taken major losses, their shields not immune to the effects of a nuclear assault and now, the larger part of their fleet, including the escort ship, had either been destroyed or vanished completely.

He stared at the lifeless corpse at his feet. The unfortunate Mysterian had struck his head against his console while the ship rode out a shockwave and surging electricity had fried him. Chonsho wanted to weep over the deaths of his comrades but he knew that such a thing would have him go down in history as a weakling. He hated the idea of this whole invasion.

Earth seemed to have become a metropolis of aliens seeking new homes or territory. He wished that his race had never become a part of this war. Chonsho snorted with contempt and stared at the Nebulan rocket as it traveled away from the Earth. The cause for all this bloodshed was contained on that very vessel.

He ordered his ship's two remaining nuclear warheads be deployed against it. Questioning looks from what little crew he had left were met with a stone-hard glare. They nodded, understanding what he intended to do. The missiles were fired simultaneously and quickly crossed the void between the two intruders in Earth's field of influence.

The first struck the rocket's propulsion system as it tumbled toward a cluster of orbiting asteroids that were a part of the nearby Apollo belt. The resulting titanic blast knocked the AVENGER backwards with such force that it was sucked into the Earth's atmosphere. The enormous heat and pressure of re-entry seeped into the holes in its hull, causing it and its crew to vaporize completely. But before he died, Chonsho beheld the second missile strike the Nebulan rocket which seemed to disappear in a fiery explosion that signaled the death of Godzilla once and for all.

It was then that Gudis arrived on the scene but he was too late to capture his prize as he cursed under his breath. Many aliens had sought to claim Godzilla for their own but now he was lost to them all forever.

Back on Earth, Viceroy Kubota admitted with a regretful sigh that he could not locate the rocket with the Nebulan scanning equipment. "I am afraid it is gone, Chairman..." He turned to Fumio, only to discover that his expression did not match his own for he was in fact was smiling. "Sir, what is it?"

"It appears that the Mysterians have finished our job for us. We discarded Godzilla into the depths of space to be rid of him forever and now he truly is gone," Fumio began to say as he stepped toward the viewscreen showing the aftermath of the titanic space battle. "May he rest... in eternal peace," he finished with a sly sneer.

Ken'trus received a transmission aboard the Xian mothership which had just departed from Planet X and was heading for Earth. "Where were you?" yelled an angry King Koban who abruptly appeared on the viewscreen.

"What is it now?" Ken'trus moaned indifferently.

"The battle in Earth's orbit with the Kilaaks and Nebulans! My forces could have used your help out there!"

"I thought you said you could handle it and made no mention of needing my assistance in any way," the Xian reminded him.

"We were outnumbered two to one and our weaponry did not so much as scratch the Kilaak cruisers until we started firing nuclear weapons at them! My finest fleet was completely wiped out!"

"Which is why I advised against a full frontal assault in the first place but oh no, why listen to me? The high and mighty Lord Koban must have things his way."

"Enough of your foolish banter! You deserted me!" the King roared.

"Even if I had sent fighters ahead of the mothership, they would not have reached there in time. You only have yourself to blame for this disaster."

"Listen to me, Ken'trus. When we finally do conquer this world, we will use the however inferior but still useful technologies of the Simeons, the Mu and Seatopians, along with our COMBINED might..." Koban started to say, placing special emphasis on COMBINED as he glared at the Xian. "...to thoroughly crush the Kilaaks and Nebulans and whomever else stands in our way. Is that understood? Koban out!" the flustered Mysterian finished before ending the communication.

Ken'trus could not help but chuckle. He loved seeing Koban worked up since it amused him to no end. The irritable Mysterian's temperament was most entertaining to the Controller and he almost regretted that he was going to have to kill him eventually.

_Tara_

In her quarters, Tara tended to various cuts and bruises on her face, wincing as she applied an antiseptic ointment to her injuries. Once more she had endured her husband's wrath. He was furious at the loss of his fleet and had taken it out on her. There were times that Koban lashed out at her for no apparent reason but she had learned to accept such things as part of her subjugation to the King.

She thought of Kugo and the kindness he showed her, as well as her own shocking action afterward, worrying what might happen to her if word got back to Koban of what she had done. At least it would not be Kugo who betrayed her to him.

There were brief moments when a tiny voice inside her screamed at her to stand up and fight back but it had been steadily beaten down and crushed under years of oppression. Besides, which one of Koban's other wives had dared to speak out against him even once without being killed?

It was as if there were actually two voices in Tara's mind; one desperately yearning for freedom from her mad husband's cruelty and another that reminded her of her place as her king's lead wife. To rebel would go against everything that she had ever been taught as a Mysterian female who were born into servitude and raised to obey and submit to their husbands and most certainly to their king's wishes.

Tara was utterly brainwashed. All pride, dignity or hope had been beaten out of her long ago. She believed this to be her fate and one that she would never escape as long as she lived. Sobbing, her face fell down into her hands as she slowly slumped to the floor.

_Monsterland_

Cillian Bakker kneeled before the large animal in front of him with a friendly smile. The Anguirus lowered its head and placed it against the young man's bosom and sat down. He petted the dinosaur, stroking its head and neck as he rested his head against the creature. He is so warm he thought. It was a pleasure to touch it for that sensation alone. The moment seemed to last forever and neither of them wished it to end. They seemed to have an inner connection; an understanding of life. Both of them were far away from home and secretly desired to be loved. Cillian looked into the kaiju's glossy brown eyes and smiled again.

This was more than a good pet, more than a loyal dog. It was as a close friend would be, a brother. He fed the monster by hand whenever he could and helped take charge of its care. On cold nights, he even came from his quarters to the laboratory to bring the Anguirusaurus a thick comforter or a blanket, often sitting beside the beast and watching it for hours as the youngling slept. Many times he fell asleep beside it. The staff rarely interfered with this bonding that was taking place, mostly to see whether a kaiju and a human could actually co-exist but this newfound relationship was much more than a mere science experiment for Bakker; it was the beginning of something special.

Moved by his obsessive love for kaiju, he was instinctively drawn to the creature but that was only the first step. From the moment the two had set eyes on each other when the baby dinosaur hatched in Moscow, Cillian sensed a connection between them and from then on, he rarely let it out of his sight. He oversaw every step of its transfer to Monsterland, the readying of its temporary indoor habitat and introduction to it. Cillian undertook the scheduled feedings and cleaning, even when he was not assigned to those tasks. Doctor Kamaiya understood and though he also would have given anything to share this special friendship with a kaiju, he was happy that Cillian had finally found a friend of his own who permitted him to tag along in most everything involving the hatchling.

Now, as the rapidly-growing Anguirus basked in the South Seas sun, Cillian leaned beside him, laying his head against its belly as it stretched out on its side in the grass. Looking up at the sky, he watched as a Giant Condor flew overhead. He loved to sit outside and watch Rodan swoop past on his way to the coast to fetch dolphins to eat and admired the majesty of Gorosaurus walking across the beach. Baragon would prowl about the rock mass on which the facility was located. And, every once in a great while, Godzilla himself would rise from the sea, so powerful and graceful in his appearance, to check on his adopted son whom Cillian also had taken to.

But ever since the aliens had appeared, nothing was the same and he feared it might never be again. But this - this calming moment with Anguirus, was like a nostalgic trip back to the past, to a time when things seemed so much simpler. This place was still his sanctuary, his shelter from the storm that raged all around and across the rest of the world.

He turned his head to look upon the face of his companion. So peacefully he slept in the sun, breathing gently and unmoving that tears welled up in the man's eyes. Seeing this creature able to enjoy a peaceful siesta while the world around him seemed to be collapsing into confusion gave Cillian the feeling that he was on another planet. Although he worried about the outcome of mankind's dealings with the aliens, this was a world he did not wish to leave. This was his moment. Out of an entire planet full of people, this was his turn to be at peace. With a deep sigh, he continued to enjoy it as much as he could.

_Biollante_

The ocean churned violently and a great maelstrom of water burst into the air, causing a colossal wave to slam upon the shoreline of what remained of Akita. A red glow seemed to emanate from it which gave the scene an eerie feeling. Suddenly, a dark, horrific roar trumpeted across the frigid air. It echoed out from the coast and frightened animals screamed in fear. Finally, the giant water spout subsided and the mangled body of Death Ghidorah stood in the deep harbor.

His wings were literally shredded from the battle that had taken place, his carapace singed and mauled as well. The archaic demon grew so angry, he wanted to make his foes suffer for the torment they had brought upon him. He waded ashore and as he shook the water off his body, something burst forth from the sandy beach and wrapped around his legs. Death Ghidorah roared defiantly as he tried to stomp on the mysterious rope-like thing. Suddenly, a massive form rose up and stood looking down upon him. Biollante had been waiting for the perfect moment to strike against her weakened enemy once again but Death Ghidorah was now under the control of Gudis, which made him a lot more powerful than he originally was.

Death Ghidorah angrily bit onto the tendril and ripped it in two, causing a green sappy blood to flow. Biollante roared in anger, sending more of her menacing toothed vines at him. Viciously, he swatted each away or bit into them, shredding them into a pulpy mess. She soon grew tired of this celestial beast and reached forward, biting into his chest with her long piercing teeth. The more Death Ghidorah flailed around, the tighter her grip became. The mystic plant monster began to glow brightly as Ghidorah felt an intense shock of energy searing through his body as sparks and smoke exploded into the air.

Finally, Biollante released the fiend. His body was so weakened from the shock that he collapsed onto the moist ground near her roots. She threw her head back and roared as if chuckling at the demon who imagined he could ravage the planet which she guarded. Biollante opened her mouth and spat a blob of radioactive sap at his body. The three-headed terror writhed in agony as the acid ate away at his flesh. However, he rose as quickly as he had fallen, forcing Biollante to rear back in surprise.

Death Ghidorah mauled her neck as she reared her head back and roared in pain. He tore away vines and clumps of flesh, smearing a sappy mess all over his mouths. All this did was irritate Biollante who flung spear-like vines into his body. For a moment, Death Ghidorah writhed from the pain but soon blasted them to pieces. The Spirit of the Earth backed away, raising her head into the air and roaring angrily. Her eyes began to glow a bright red as the Moon disappeared under a thick blanket of opaque clouds. Biollante concentrated her attention until a crackling bolt of lightning came out of the sky and slammed into Ghidorah's back, forcing him to the ground. She roared once again as if laughing at the torment she was inflicting upon her arch enemy. More arcs lanced at the ancient dragon's carapace, forcing him to cry out.

This did not stop Gudis who would find a way to subdue this enemy. An order came to the demon's mind and he rose, blasting a colossal flame from his center mouth that enveloped Biollante's entire face. Explosions erupted across her body, causing pieces of flesh-like plant matter to fly everywhere. A terrible bellow issued forth as more of her body was destroyed by the attack.

The faint beating of wings could be heard as Mothra glided through the clouds. Her antennae twitched as she sensed a disturbance and the terrible cries of Biollante who was in immense pain. As Death Ghidorah tormented his enemy, the planet itself seemed to cringe. A huge thunderstorm hung over the ruins of Akita which was but a few kilometers away. Mothra's furious cry soon swept across the planet as she flew overhead, shouting angered words in her ancient dialect which her enemy would most likely recognize. They weren't directed at Death Ghidorah but another creature that prowled the planet, the one responsible for the release of the demon.

"Your raid will not last here, Gudis! Like my ancestors, I shall drive you away. Your defeat is inevitable!" Mothra shouted as she went to aid her ally. Death Ghidorah snarled hatefully and continued to tear at Biollante's chest. Luckily, she managed to reach forward and bite into one of his slithering necks. The demon struggled but she continued pulling. A piece of the appendage gave way and before Death Ghidorah knew it, she had ripped a sickening wound that bled profusely. Biollante spat acid, causing it to sizzle from the caustic liquid. With pain and anger searing his blood, Ghidorah released a blast of lava from his three mouths simultaneously and again, Biollante's flesh exploded where she was struck.

Suddenly, three rainbow-hued beams lanced out of the sky and slammed into Death Ghidorah's side, pushing him away from Biollante. To the dragon's surprise, Mothra Virgo glided through the air, none of her previous wounds evident due to Biollante's healing powers which she had used on her. The dragon hissed malevolently at the deity, defiantly releasing blasts of lava gout beams which Mothra easily dodged. Her aerial abilities were very accurate, as well as being one of the fastest kaiju. Quickly, she streaked through the air and body-slammed him, forcing the terror to collapse onto the wet sand. Again he managed to raise up, so angry that he seemed to glow red with his seething fury.

Mothra showed no fear as she flew high over the battlefield, energy streaking through her wings and gathering into a glowing ball amid her six legs. Suddenly, she released a very potent sapphire beam from her chest region. When it hit Death Ghidorah, the intense kinetic and explosive force flung him backwards onto a plateau, causing it to flatten and send intense tremors through the ground. He was dazed by the attack which allowed Mothra to swoop in for another. She zoomed past him, slashing his side with her wing and then flew high into the air. Death Ghidorah lifted his battered body out of the rubble, trumpeting low, snarling roars. Mothra responded with a screech of her own and flew down to grab onto his heads and slash them with her claws. Electrical discharges danced from her wings which also battered the monster. Shimmering scales floated down as she continued to briskly flap her wings. Before Ghidorah knew it, he was smothered in them.

Now very weak, Biollante opened her eyes and saw Mothra defending her. This was amazing as the Earth spirit did not know how much Mothra actually loved the planet. Quickly, she regenerated her wounds in order to assist her. Mothra continued to blanket Death Ghidorah in a cloud of scales as the demon roared in agony when they got into his wounds and stung him severely. In a tremendous blaze of hatred, he released all three of his lava blasts.

The scales reacted with their heat and the explosion was so great that it enveloped both kaiju, slamming them to the ground. Mothra writhed in pain as she fluttered in the rubble. Death Ghidorah got back to his feet and galloped toward the fallen insect. Constant blasts of lava rays bombarded her body, sending smoke and explosions streaking into the darkened air. Her squeal of anguish seemed to fuel Ghidorah's malice as he yearned to destroy this enemy he'd had to deal with for millions of years. Mothra tried to evade his attacks by flying away but he caught her, biting onto her wings and body. He sadistically tore pieces away and spat them out as he watched the insect collapse onto the ground. Mothra could feel her life dwindling. No matter what happens she thought, Gudis must be prevented from doing any more damage with his puppet

On Infant Island, Moll gasped as she sensed Mothra's dwindling lifesigns. She could not believe that this terror was coming to pass. It was overwhelming to the three tiny avatars.

"Damn that Gudis!" hollered Belvera.

"There is only one way we can defeat Death Ghidorah," explained Moll. "Battra and Mothra must combine their powers. Battra is already weak from his last confrontation and Mothra is getting weaker as we speak." Lora gazed at Zirkon who was equally stunned by what was happening. Her fear could be felt by him.

Do not worry, Lora he assured her telepathically. I trust Moll's wisdom and you must do likewise. If Mothra and Battra fuse, then they would be a powerful force to be reckoned with Lora smiled and glanced up at the Doubijin who loved her so. Moll and Belvera were discussing what to do with Terius and Oberon who reluctantly agreed to allow Mothra and Battra to fuse.

"Alas, we do not know how to bring their powers together," Oberon admitted.

"We will use the Elias Triangle. It should supply enough power to do so."

"So you have a plan?" Terius wondered arrogantly.

"Yes, we do!" Belvera snickered, smiling sarcastically. Lora and Zirkon listened with a gleam of hope painting their faces. Moll's plan just might work. However, it would take time and patience to do so. Also, it could be very dangerous for them all. The six fairies climbed onto the Elias' steeds and took off, leaving Mothra's Temple haunted by the quiet, lurking evil that plagued the planet.

_Preserving the Past_

Professor Erickson felt uneasy as he walked into his dimly-lit laboratory in Mikasa City. Two of his three assistants had accompanied him to help with the final preparations. This latest experiment had greatly tired and stressed him out.

After studying Mothra for nearly 20 years, he knew that he had to do something to save humanity, or at least one person. Months before, he had discovered a way to replicate the cells in the human brain that permitted the storage of memories. He thought that if he could take these cells and transfer them to something more durable than the human body, memories could be collected. One thing he wondered about was what Mothra's thoughts on the idea might be. He was aware that she did not like humans messing with things they should not be and worried that this project was classified among those 'not to do' subjects. The middle-aged scholar tried to forget about these second thoughts but they kept popping back into his mind every time he glanced up at the walls covered with pictures of the insect goddess, the Elias and Infant Island.

"Professor, shall we begin?" asked Aki, one of his trusted colleagues. Nervously, he paused in his thoughts and glanced up at the large picture of Mothra that hung prominently over his desk.

"Do you think this experiment will anger Mothra, Aki?" Erickson asked, finally turning toward him.

"Professor, you have wanted this to be completed for at least twelve years. Are you going to stop now?" his associate questioned with surprise.

"Very well... Bring the phial containing the cells of my wife." Erickson began to get nervous at the mere mention of the undertaking, feeling kind of awkward that he was using his wife's replicated memory cells as a means to conduct his work. "I will also require the neural solvent container." Aki handed him a special shiny, purplish capsule he kept in a separate room. It was very beautiful somehow and had been constructed of different elements, mainly platinum and titanium. This was why he called it the Platanium Phial. He had it fabricated for the specific purpose of holding the solvent that contained the memory cells. Slowly, Erickson poured the solution into the phial.

"There," he muttered. "The platinum and titanium will amplify the cells' regenerative abilities so that the memories within them will remain intact."

"Can the cells be transferred into another person?" asked the other assistant.

"Yes, I do believe so. However, we do not have the time to test it. The world is in an uproar as it is."

"What will we do with the Platanium Phial?" Aki asked.

"I shall keep it with me. I can not risk it being destroyed or abused in anyone else's possession," he explained as he headed out of the laboratory, taking one last look at the Mothra-cluttered work room. With a heavy heart, Professor Erickson departed with his assistants quickly following.

_Kilaak World Tour_

Amidst the ruins of the Knesset in Jerusalem, the Kach Party members could scarcely contain their surprise when King Karkaru, the Kilaak leader, contacted them. After their initial raid on the Knesset, Israel's response had been to go on full alert. Use of nuclear weapons on Kilaak forces had, in conjunction with co-operation with the infidels, had caused the Kilaaks to suffer their first defeat at the hands of a non-Western Army. The strange bedfellows had been condemned by Kach and by Hamas but Baruch was confident that Yahweh was on his side. After all, the Torah had promised all lands up to the Euphrates River to Israel.

"You can guarantee this?"

"All that is required are a few minor acts of sabotage. We need the victory first and what you ask shall be yours. Shalom, my comrades." The Kilaak departed.

"Excellent. We now have a chance to make the greatest Jewish state in all of history!" The terrorists roared approval.

_Gaza City_

"You promise us this, an Arab-only Palestine?"

"Yes. But you must first assist with defeating the Israeli Army. We have weapons that will make your task possible. The Kilaaks will gladly hand to you your country once again. Inshallah and Salaam, my friends." Again, the Kilaaks departed, the devils having their bargains as the Hamas leaders grinned slyly at each other.

"Israel does not know what awaits it."

_The River Don_

Ivan Konev was very unhappy. First, he had learned that the Motherland wanted him whether he wanted to fight for it or not. That meant leaving a nice, comfortable life as an accountant in Archangelsk to battle spacemen from another world. Second, he had learned that his troops were to be partnered with old school Cold War-era super-weapons. And third, his lunch was missing.

"Who stole my lunch?" he shouted.

"It wasn't me!" yelled Pyiotr Kaganovich.

"All right... Hey, you! Boris! That's my ham sandwich, you thieving -!"

"Will you quiet down? The Colonel is coming around." The draftees quickly formed ranks.

"Good day, Colonel Bagration!"

"Good day, Corporal Konev. Ready to go kill some spacemen?"

"Er... Do we really have a choice?"

"Eh... No."

"I figured as much."

As the Russian army moved into combat position on the Don, Konev noticed a group of large shadows rising before them. They were hulking, lumbering, monstrous. Eyes like and unlike those of man came into view, raising a sense of anxiety and disgust in the soldiers, evident by the muttering and discontented grumbling amongst them.

"What ARE those things?"

"We call them Angeloi."

"Angels? What in Hell...?"

"They are supposed to have a kind of force field to keep the spacemen out."

"Who would pilot them? Teenagers with a need for drama?"

"What?"

"Never mind."

The four Angeloi units began to stride towards the alien forces which launched their own ground forces in response. Noise and confusion was soon overpowering as they surged forth, exchanging blasts of plasma energy. Earthmen fell to the ground with agonized screams in its otherworldly light as it burned into them. In return, aliens yowled in unintelligible and often blasphemous-sounding language as anti-tank weaponry breached the Kilaaks' protective armor. It was the only thing strong enough to do so.

A man yelled out in pain when plasma hit him. He ran at an alien who uttered an agonized roar before an explosion produced a shower of gore both native and extraterrestrial. A deep rumbling sound intruded on the mayhem as a vast shadow came over Konev's unit. Alien and human alike turned in panic as an Angelous reached down and smashed aliens into a foul-smelling paste. Strange energies scythed forth across the eerie scene as the invaders watched the unholy display.

Suddenly, a large blue Angeloi turned up its gun and fired, slicing through one alien craft, producing a thin cut and then a sudden double BOOM!. The energy from the alien weapon channeled into the gun as a rain of metal tore into ET and human alike. More fire came as the aerial craft were brought down one by one. Abominations of Man's science warred with death-machines not by his hand but from the Outer Dark. The Angeloi were altering the course of the battle and now the MIGs had air superiority. The alien ranks were suddenly feeling the brunt of Soviet-era craft that were much more lethal than they had first seemed.

"Why didn't the Americans ever design these?" shouted Boris as a red one blasted through the lines of aliens. They were starting to realize just what they had gotten into, judging by the furious activity on the other side of the battlefield. Their platoons, once vast and powerful, were disintegrating. Hind gunships and MIGs had decimated the lead squads and the second ranks were being routed. Rostov was on the verge of becoming a major victory.

Before Konev could speculate on this, a shell exploded and Boris gurgled. Putting his hand to his filleted belly, he said calmly, "I finally got guts..." and slumped to the ground.

Ivan fired his laser gun at a few Kilaaks that had come close before a golden Angeloi smashed through their entrenchment. The remaining aliens targeted it with the same unearthly light, which the Angeloi took and merged in its hands, forming a gun to aim at their camp. Dark and unholy energy lanced forth, producing the foul smell that came from burned silicate. The Angelous then turned its weapon toward an alien tank.

"It is amazing that the Americans never used these... It would make things too easy." A series of booming sounds was heard as an alien battle cruiser began to explode, triggering explosions from the ships closely flanking it. More shots were fired and other ships blew up. The Kilaaks suddenly realized that the Russians were using cadmium shells, much to their horror.

By now, their lines had truly disintegrated, raising shouts of "Rodinia! Rossiyinia!" from the human forces which now was in pursuit of the alien army.

_Veliky Novgorod_

"You can promise us the whole of the former People's Bloc?"

"Not the entirety, Mister Malinovsky, only the former Soviet Union. We need to find a way to trigger the programs in these mechanical devices they use against us to turn against their forces. Once they are under our control, we will then have a new weapon."

Fyodor Malinovsky glanced at the disguised Nebulan speaking to him. Hesitating for a moment, he took a puff of his cigar and replied, "We of the Russian Communist Party agree to this. After all, the peoples of the USSR are hardly better off now than they were when we ruled them, da?" He was a sturdy man, with a mustache that called to mind the long-dead Stalin. His face had a beaky nose and a long ugly scar typical of one who had done his share of killing. He waited for confirmation.

"Da." With that, the Nebulan departed.

"Fyodor, you risk treason!"

"Treason, pfah! What is this treason? Lenin, the great founder of the Soviet Union, was shipped in by the Germans. What is another issue like this?" His feral eyes gleamed as he pulled out the codes and began to type them into a computer. Cyrillic letters came up and then the ENTER CODE prompt. With a decisive tap, he typed People's Will.

On the Don front, the rout had begun to spread and the Russian army was now starting to tie down the alien forces. They were in a state of confusion, having underestimated their thought-to-be-inferior human adversaries. A sudden rumbling was heard and the Angeloi began to shift direction. The soldiers hesitated. All sixteen constructs began to march towards them, thundering steps following in their wake like the sound of an angry tin god. Perun, in his awesome ire come to strike at the long-apostate Russians.

The army began to move backwards as their own weapons of war were turned against them. An alien energy blast lanced at the purple Angelous with the green face. It turned, its other-worldly eyes gazing at the alien forces. A lancing strike hit them as well. A newer and more desperate phase of the struggle began as aliens and humans alike attempted to stop the aroused Angeloi.

Malinovsky grinned with his yellowed teeth, watching the slaughter as the Angeloi shields shrugged off both human maser cannons and alien firepower. "Foolish spacemen! They did not ask me to not fire it at them, only to make it the enemy of the capitalist dogs. And you, Pavel. You did not agree with me? Behold the glory of aliens and capitalists alike, slaughtered by the dread terror of the Great Game!"

In the battle itself, the confusion was enormous. An Angelous shuddered when a lucky shell entered its gun barrel. A sudden eruption of fire bathed the battlefield in an eldritch light, giving the impression of unhallowed arts giving birth to a holocaust of desolation. The Angelous toppled, its arms in ruin and its ichor oozing out.

A droning sound announced a plane carrying the awesome firepower that had held the world in a balance of terror in times past. A single bomb dropped, bringing the Angeloi to rapt attention. Its detonation came, terrible and awesome to behold as a cloud of smoke rose in the shape of a mushroom, followed by a sudden booming sound. Russia's other weapon, the Colossus had arrived.

The Angeloi were all weakened, bleeding at various points on their stunned frames. The Colossus' treads ceased rumbling as numerous weapons appeared from its arms. Fire lanced out from an updated version of the Angeloi's own armament. They ceased firing after a while but the Colossus continued until their last twitches had stopped. From its imposing bulk came the strains of The Hymn of the Soviet Union.

In the middle of a devastated Russia, a thundering voice with the accent of Veliky Novgorod resounded over what communications systems still existed. "People of Russia! The Proletarian Revolution lives! Heed my words. Our glory rises under the magnificent power of our friends and allies from the stars! Long live the glorious Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik!" This would only be the first of many confrontations with the Kilaaks.

_Johannesburg, South Africa_

In the war room of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF), a subordinate handed Lieutenant-General Godfrey Ngwenya a bulletin with the latest news from the front lines. He frowned as he read it and then looked up at the messenger.

"The Kilaaks are laying waste to anything that stands in their path. They have already taken Pretoria and will be here soon." The Lieutenant breathed a heavy sigh before speaking.

"What do you think our chances are? Honestly, sir."

"Based on what we know of the Kilaaks and their weaponry, cobbled together from various historical sources and current events, I can honestly say that we are outmatched. Other nations are fending them off using cold-based weapons but we have no room for such things in our budget, I'm afraid..."

"We're going to be slaughtered, aren't we?"

"It certainly looks that way..." Just then, another adjutant rushed in with an important message.

"Forgive the interruption, General, but an urgent communique has come in for you from the Commander of the Simeons, sir." The three officers exchanged surprised and unsure glances before the order was finally given to open the channel and Argon appeared on the viewscreen.

"Commander Argon, I presume?" Ngwenya surmised.

"Indeed it is, General Ngwenya. And it is a pleasure to meet you, may I add."

"Thank you, Commander, but what may I ask is the reason for your contact with us, if you will pardon me for being so bold?"

"Not at all, General. I am offering my military forces to your people in your battle against the Kilaaks."

"A very gracious and generous offer, Commander. I have been seeing and reading the news reports about you joining the United Nations and your promise to help defend the planet. But it seems that not everyone shares your sense of brotherhood."

"It is true that in light of the past, there are many who do not trust us but the simple fact remains that we only wish to help."

"And if I should choose to decline your offer?"

"Then it stops here. You will not hear from me again and we shall leave you to your own devices. We have no intention of forcing our assistance upon you."

"Others have already turned you down. Is that not so?"

"It is."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"I didn't say that, General. But regardless of our personal feelings on the matter, as new citizens of this world, we have vowed to respect the laws and rights of all sovereign nations. And if our services are not wanted, then we will mind our own business. But the real question, General, is that what you really want?"

"What I want is what is best for the people of my country."

"Of course you do and I want to help you ensure that you accomplish exactly that."

"What if we don't need your help?"

"Then you can choose to end this transmission now and go about your business. But is that really the truth?"

"What are you insinuating, Commander?"

"With all due respect, General... you need us."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. The Kilaaks have you out-manned, out-gunned and have superior technology and weaponry. Alone you cannot hope to defeat them. I know that as a prideful soldier you feel the need to fight this battle on your own with your own strength and find a way to win but it isn't going to happen this time. That is unless... you accept our help."

Ngwenya hung his head for a moment considered Argon's words. Part of him was angered at both the insinuation that they were not strong enough to defeat this enemy on their own and that it was also the truth. He was also taken aback by the Commander's sincere if not blunt statements but deep down he knew he was right. There was only one choice he could make to try to save his people. He exhaled deeply.

"Commander Argon, both I and the members of the South African National Defense Force... gladly accept your offer."

"Thank you, General Ngwenya. You are as wise as you are brave."

Before they were deployed, Commander Argon personally addressed his troops at the Simeon base. "We will engage the Kilaaks at approximately 1800 hours. This is what you will need to know beforehand. Our race has never actually had a confrontation with them before so pay close attention to what I am about to tell you. Is that clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" they all shouted in perfect unison.

"When our forces hit the ground, keep yourselves spaced out. Be sure to cover each other's back but don't bunch up. We don't want to give the enemy an easy target. Avoid hand-to-hand combat with them if you can. Kilaaks have superhuman strength and durability so attack them from a distance. You will need heavy artillery to pierce their armor. Standard blaster fire won't scratch them.

"Once you crack their exo-suits, the exposure to outside temperatures should render them harmless. For our pilots who will be facing off against their fleet, use the special freeze missiles first, especially if their ships are in Fire Dragon mode. They are an updated version of the old prototype for the freeze missiles of the original STARLIGHT SY-3 so they should be effective.

"Now listen to this part carefully: Concussion and explosive projectiles only. NO HEAT-BASED WEAPONS. No flame throwers, heat-oriented beams or incendiary rounds. Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Very good. You are dismissed. May the glory of the Simeon homeworld go with you."

When they reached Johannesburg, members of the South African National Defense Force joined with the Simeon army to meet the Kilaaks head on. The Kilaak tanks had superior fire power that instantly reduced whatever it hit to useless scrap while also proving to have such high molecular density that they appeared to be almost invulnerable. This was no doubt due to the environment in which the Kilaaks normally operated in.

When constructing metal bodies of their war machines, they generally started where other races would more than likely stop. Being a race that already existed in extreme temperatures that were close to the equivalent of a standard Earth blast furnace to begin with, the heat generated in their foundries would easily reduce other such fabrications to useless molten goo. This, along with their unmatched metallurgy, knowledge made them the supreme smithies of the known universe. The Simeon tanks suffered heavy losses until their aircraft began dive-bombing the Kilaak tanks with their freeze missiles.

Their addition helped even the odds as the skies became a brilliant and brutal display of beams and explosions. The Kilaaks were the only sentient species to master shielding technology for smaller ships while other races simply had to try to strengthen the armor on theirs. Of course, there was no one who had yet created anything that matched what the Kilaak ships could do in Fire Dragon mode but their present opposition was more maneuverable and slender, making them more difficult to hit. This, combined with their freeze weapons, made them a force to be reckoned with as well.

The Simeon ground troops were packing laser rifles set at their maximum power level as nothing less would penetrate the Kilaak's armor. Only the biggest and strongest among the Simeon ranks could handle the recoil of the guns which would easily dislocate the shoulder or even break the collarbone of a human. They were backed up by African soldiers packing howitzers, rocket launchers and bazookas, both carry and self-propelled. Olifant Mk 2 tank battalions of the SANDF found themselves outmatched by Kilaak weaponry but played havoc with the aliens themselves. The Kilaaks gave as good as they got as their various earthbound and aerial ships tore through both human and Simeon forces alike. When Kilaak soldiers weren't incinerating their targets with wicked glee, they would literally tear their attackers apart with their bare hands, using their freakish strength in close quarters combat. The battle was quickly turning into a bloodbath.

In one part of the city, brutal ground action was taking place. As opposing forces clashed, the Kilaaks quickly put the Simeons on the defensive until a giant came forth from their rank. A seven-footer suddenly emerged from beneath the dead bodies of his comrades, blowing every target away that entered his cross-hairs. He had hidden beneath the corpses and allowed the Kilaaks to march over him, waiting for them to pass before attacking from behind.

As they were hit and exposed to the outside atmosphere, the Kilaaks would seemingly deflate. Reverting to their small slug-like forms, their suits and armor appeared to be empty as they laid on the ground in scattered heaps.

One Kilaak managed to reach the giant gung ho Simeon who quickly broke its neck. Its body was used as a shield against weapons fire as the mighty warrior returned more of his own. Following the massive ape's lead, his comrades charged with a unified roar, only to encounter another living roadblock.

A towering eight foot tall Kilaak rose amidst the carnage, barreling into the large Simeon head on. They both crashed through the wall of a nearby crumbling building. The Simeon connected with punches that would have cracked human bone but this massive as well as ancient Kilaak shrugged off the strikes. It lunged again, only to be grabbed and judo thrown, his own momentum proving to be his undoing. The metallic alien's weight and density practically turned him into a flying wrecking ball as he went through an opposite wall and back outside. The Simeon charged after him, only to have the Kilaak snatch the alien ape's right arm in mid-swing and snap his forearm in two. His half roar/ half scream of pain echoed simultaneously with the sound of the breaking bones.

He drew his dagger with his good arm but it broke uselessly against the Kilaak's chain mail. It was then that the silicon invader morphed his right hand into a serrated blade that stabbed deep into the Simeon's gut as he was lifted off the ground. However, it was at that moment that the Simeon pulled every pin on his grenade belt. The explosion also caught a ruptured gas main. Combatants on both sides were sent flying as an entire city block was leveled.

Just outside the blast zone, a Kilaak tank rumbled onto the battlefield. A shell from it eviscerated a group of running Simeons and humans. Others opened fire from a second story window but the tank pivoted its gun turret toward them and completely obliterated that floor of the building and the rest of it came crashing down. As it rolled over a pile of debris, two Simeons quickly moved in on either side, placing detonators on the drive mechanisms and underbody where the armor was thinner before dashing away. Moments later, the explosions immobilized the vehicle. Another device was placed to the tank's primary cannon, destroying it as well. With their weapon rendered useless, the Kilaaks inside leaped out firing their hand blasters but were quickly picked off.

Suddenly, the huge Kilaak that everyone assumed had been killed pulled itself from the rubble, engulfed in flames. Though his exo-suit had been destroyed by the explosion, his temperature was maintained by the blazing gas main. His body was burning at around 900 degrees Celsius which allowed him to retain his humanoid form. Both of his hands had changed into a pair of molten swords which he used to cut a bloody swath through whatever crossed his path. The remaining defenders opened fire but it had no effect as their weapons were designed to puncture the Kilaak's protective suits which was supposed to take care of what was inside. They had no contingency plan for their enemy fighting without it.

A grenade literally blew up in the alien's face, taking part of it off in a rather gory display but still he fought on. It did cause brain damage as the Kilaak howled like a mindless beast before going completely berserk. Any and all intelligence and/or tactical training went out the window as he began to rip everyone he could get his hands on to pieces.

Things were looking bad for this particular garrison when a tanker truck came roaring in and mowed the Kilaak down. As the human who had been driving it leaped out, another tossed a grenade at the tank which contained liquid nitrogen. When it blew, the freezing liquid went everywhere, including all over the Kilaak that was attempting to pull itself out from beneath the semi's wheels. By the time he got free, he was already freezing in place. A well placed shot shattered the frozen body and a tiny slug-like creature could be seen trying to retreat into its shell. It couldn't escape the liquid nitrogen and froze as well. A Simeon soldier strode up and crushed the crystallized creature underfoot, finally ending its existence.

The tide of battle finally began to turn in favor of Earth's defenders when Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus arrived on the scene. A hail of missiles found their mark on countless Kilaak ships and soldiers as the invaders found themselves being pushed back. Retreat was ordered and they began to withdraw. However, this did not sit well with General Kulkan who announced his presence by firing the HELLRAISER's weapons from the upper atmosphere. By the time he was finished, the entire city had been blasted off the map and everything in it destroyed or killed, be it Simeon, human or Kilaak. The 500 meter Kilaak warship then came down out of the clouds to inspect and survey its handiwork.

"Life signs?" General Kulkan asked.

"None, sir. Wait... we have just picked up something..."

"What? Put it on screen." The image that appeared showed Megalon standing amidst the devastation. "So the Seatopian's lap dog is actually foolish enough to face us again after the beating it took during our last encounter. How droll - and pitiful," Kulkan mocked.

"Sir, we are picking up an energy build-up within the kaiju. A tremendous amount of heat is building and gathering in Megalon's crest horn. The readings indicate solar energy waves preparing for a possible discharge."

"A heat-based weapon? The bug is going to attack US with a heat-based weapon?" The Kilaak General began to chuckle. "This creature truly is as stupid as it is ugly."

But what General Kulkan did not realize was that Megalon's solar beam attack was far more than just heat. It also hit with unparalleled physical force as the Kilaaks were about to learn the hard way when he unleashed it. The pent up power sent him flying backwards from the recoil as the blast rocketed forth. It struck the HELLRAISER hard and with rather destructive results.

"What in the-" Kulkan started to say as the ship swayed to one side sharply. "Damage report!" he demanded, shaking off his brief loss of composure.

"We've sustained outer hull damage!"

"Initiate repair systems immediately and return fire!"

Megalon burrowed out of harm's way just in time to avoid the HELLRAISER's wrath as the landscape was pulverized. Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus blasted their way free of the tons of debris that had temporarily trapped them. Once again, the Simeon war horses opened fire with everything they had.

As the HELLRAISER readied its weapons for another barrage, Titanosaurus dropped his shields and ran to the forefront of the battle field, getting as close to the ship as possible. When its main beam fired, the cyborg's reflector dish was ready to receive it.

"Sir! Titanosaurus appears to be absorbing our fire!"

"What? Then disengage at once!" But it was too late as a substantial amount of energy had already been taken in and Titano now returned it, at five times the magnitude.

"Secondary hull damage!" a Kilaak technician yelled out as the reflected beam struck them hard. Mechagodzilla quickly took to the air, pelting the ship with round after round of plasma missiles. Megalon re-entered the fray and unloaded his own firepower as well.

"Sir, the compound within Mechagodzilla's missiles is eating through the last layer of our hull! We are facing an imminent hull breach, unless..."

"Unless what?" General Kulkan glared at the confused Kilaak.

"An analysis of the corroding matter reveals that if we retreat to the cold vacuum of space, the reaction will be slowed down enough to give us the time we need to remove the substance from the ship." Kulkan pondered this option for a moment. He hated the idea of conceding defeat to these lesser organisms but he dreaded facing King Karkaru if he lost not only the battle but the HELLRAISER as well.

"Very well then. Do it!" he spat in frustration. "But let us leave a parting gift for our foes before we go. Cut all primary power except life support and bring the ship to the ground." The HELLRAISER slowly descended to the surface and powered down. Mechagodzilla, Titanosaurus and Megalon approached cautiously for a closer look. General Kulkan waited until they were as close as possible.

"Now!" he bellowed. An explosive surge of energy went off right in their faces, sending them tumbling as if an angry child was kicking his toys across the floor. By the time they recovered, the war ship had sped away.

"So... did we win?" Bordu asked almost sheepishly back at the Simeon base.

"If you can call this a victory..." Commander Argon muttered as the viewscreens showed Johannesburg looking like the aftermath of a nuclear blast. The victory and others like it were bittersweet at best.

By paying close attention to Kilaak activity around the world, the United World Powers had caught on to their true plans but with so many of their armadas scattered across the Earth, it seemed impossible to catch and stop them on every front. The leaders of the UWP's respective races beheld the situation with a sense of dread as they watched their valiant soldiers die in one engagement after another and their numbers continued to dwindle.

Meanwhile, the Kilaaks poured on the pressure as if they had the luxury of throwing their forces at the defending armies and the rest of the world like endless cannon fodder that continuously replenished itself. Attempting to behead a hydra would probably have been easier.

_Germany_

A temporary Pyrrhic victory had been won over the aliens - at the cost of leveling most of the Allemmanic regions and leaving millions of people homeless.

The Germans had utilized liquid nitrogen as an offensive weapon delivered via napalm-style drops. It wasn't as effective as freeze masers or cadmium and not enough to actually stop the Kilaak ships but the attack did destabilize their shields and hull temperatures enough to make them susceptible to standard artillery fire.

When a second wave of Kilaak flyers and tanks arrived, what remained of the German army didn't stand a chance - except for one mammoth machine. Emerging from the smoke and flames was a tank the likes of which the Kilaaks and few humans had ever seen before.

Rolling onto the battlefield was the Landkreuzer P.1500 Monster. The name truly fit as it easily dwarfed everything around it. The German pre-prototype ultra-heavy weapon was meant to be a mobile platform for the Krupp 800mm Schwerer Gustav artillery piece, a mobile grand cannon proposed by the Nazis in World War II. If completed and mass produced, it would have easily surpassed the Panzer VIII Maus and even the extremely large Landkreuzer P.1000 Ratte in size, although it would only have enough power to move at 10-15 KPH.

It was 42 meters (138 feet) long, weighed 2,500 metric tons, carried 250mm front hull armor, four MAN U-boat (submarine) diesel engines and a crew of over 100 men. It was so heavy that it cracked pavement and was not able to cross bridges.

The main armament was a 800mm Dora/Schwerer Gustav K (E) rail gun ten times bigger in diameter than modern tank cannons. Secondary weapons consisted two 150mm sFH 18/1 L/30 howitzers and multiple 15mm MG 151/15 machine guns.

Although history books claim that it had never gotten past the blueprint stage, at least one had been built just before the Third Reich fell. Wealthy industrialist Karl Hans Albrecht, the richest man in Germany, purchased it after an expedition turned it up in a subterranean storage facility that had been abandoned and hidden since the end of World War II. When the Kilaaks first attacked, he offered it to the German military to aid in the defense of the country.

With one shot of the Landkreuzer's hulking cannon, a Kilaak tank was completely obliterated, as was anything else it hit. It was even larger than the Kilaak's behemoth tanks and overpowered and crushed them beneath its massive treads. The Monster even opened fire on passing Kilaak aircraft. Although the weapon wasn't powerful enough to get past the Kilaak shields, the sheer force of the shells knocked them from the sky to crash on the ground. The Kilaaks returned fire but the tank's armor held up to their attacks.

The aliens were both surprised and angered at the idea that the humans actually had a weapon capable of standing up to them and with that revelation came a great fury. Countless numbers of Kilaak ships converged on the Landkreuzer, blasting it with their heat weapons. The super tank's hull temperature began to rise, leading to a tragic and horrific end for the brave men inside.

In the end, the Landkreuzer proved itself to be as invulnerable as it was designed to be, emerging from the onslaught seemingly unscathed, aside from the fact that it was now white hot. The Kilaaks' weapons had essentially transformed it into a giant oven, its internal temperature reaching an excess of 1500 degrees Celsius, cooking those within alive and eventually melting them into nothing.

The Monster, for all intents and purposes, had been slain. In short order, the same fate befell the rest of the nation which prompted the German Republic to surrender.

Halfway across the globe, yet another battle was being waged over a massive undersea volcano in the South Pacific as a fleet of Muuvian submarines led by Captain Gordon and the GOTENGO took on a formation of Kilaak ships. Muuvian torpedos and beams found their marks as the Kilaak shields proved to be as durable as ever. Only a pass of the flying battleship's freeze ray was required to weaken them.

Several ships in Fire Dragon mode attempted kamikaze attacks but were unprepared for just how resilient the hulls of the Muuvian subs were. They were the most advanced in the world and capable of diving to depths that would crush any other submersible. Such being the case, physical bombardment proved quite useless against them but the Kilaaks' weaponry however was not.

Suddenly, Manda bolted into the fray and entangled a Kilaak ship in his coils, buckling its shields and cracking its outer hull. The cold waters of the Pacific rushed in to claim its horrified crew. Taking notice of this new threat, several ships took aim at the Muuvian god and protector but not one could land a single shot. In the depths of the ocean, Manda was truly in his element and moved with more speed and faster reflexes than anything else in the war zone. The great serpent took out Kilaak ships left and right with a ferocity that few even suspected him capable of. Suddenly, a kaiju that the Kilaaks as well as countless others may have dismissed as weak or useless was commanding a whole new level of respect.

The GOTENGO then surged forward, obliterating anything in its path with the Mu subs following close behind. This would eventually result in a retreat for the Kilaaks and a glorious victory for the United World Powers.

As for the confrontation in the Middle East, the aftermath saw both warring factions obliterate each other and left Israel in burning ruins without the aliens having to lift a finger. No further opposition to Kilaak forces would be encountered there. Similar sabotage and subterfuge orchestrated by both the Nebulans and Kilaaks saw other military forces in various countries turn on one another rather than fight their true foes.

_India_

In one of the most densely populated cities in the world, a brutal battle was taking place between Nebulan and Kilaak ships with the city of Mumbai being flattened in the crossfire.

However, it was nothing but a cleverly orchestrated ruse. The warcraft of both sides were automated and unmanned. This particular scenario had been planned out by Fumio Subo and King Karkaru for the sake of the Nebulans keeping up appearances. Fumio needed his allies to believe that he and his associates were just as dedicated to the Earth's defense as anyone else and avert any possible suspicion.

Thus, the lives of over 13 million people were snuffed out, all for the sake of a grandiose and merciless deception.

Aboard the FLAMING FURY, King Karkaru stood stoically on the bridge as one of his lieutenants approached. "My liege. Everything is going according to plan. The various forces across the planet that stood against us have either imploded, been destroyed, wiped each other out or retreated."

"Excellent. And the status of the undersea volcano?" the King asked.

"Lost, your majesty. Our forces were defeated in battle." A few moments of silence passed as he patiently and nervously awaited a response.

"I see. Very well... Set our coordinates for the next target and get us underway immediately," Karkaru finally replied, much to the officer's surprise.

"Please forgive my questioning, my King, but do you not wish to initiate a retaliatory strike?"

"No, it is not needed. Let the victors of this battle believe that they have won. Do as I have ordered." The lieutenant bowed and turned to depart. Karkaru stood alone once more and pondered the situation, chuckling to himself slightly.

These beings and their so-called alliances, so tenuous and fragile that even the slightest wavering causes complete collapse! So easily corrupted and weak, ready to turn on one another at a moment's notice. Un-evolved, uncivilized lowly vagrants! Exterminating them would be the greatest gift the Kilaaks could give this planet.

Fumio's plans had been followed to the letter and as much as Karkaru hated to admit, it had worked. However, the most ironic truth was that all of these battles being waged across the globe, whether won or lost, were nothing more than mere distractions allowing the Kilaaks to go about their true mission. They activated volcanic hot spots while their enemies continued to deplete their own resources in one conflict after another.

Soon the human and alien dregs that dwelled here would be washed away and the Kilaaks would finally claim the Earth as its own once and for all.

_Tibet_

Another target for the Kilaaks was the towering Kunlun volcano. While they tended to it, a war was being waged in the nearby city of Lhasa.

The largest army the humans had ever assembled stood at over two million strong. Unfortunately, sheer numbers were seemingly China's only effective weapon for the soldiers were poorly trained and equipped compared to the military forces of other nations. Their tanks and jets were over 30 years old, lacking modern advances and range.

This would spell certain doom and an inevitable slaughter but as the Chinese marched forward, they realized that the Kilaaks were neither moving or firing on them. That was when the sudden cry of Taiwan's independence was heard. China had a history of secular rebellions - the huge White Lotus Rebellion in the 1790s and 1800s, the Taiping Rebellion in the 1850s-60s that killed 15% of the population and The Long March that launched the civil war between Mao Tse-Tung and Chiang Kai-Shek in the 1930s and '40s which killed tens of millions.

The increasing patterns of local protests were scaring the hell out of the Chinese Communist Party since they had enough of a historical sense to know that one of these mass riots could spiral out of control into a full-scale war. The Taiwanese had always wanted their independence from China but were biding their time, waiting for the right moment. They were very well aware that any move they made would bring an immediate invasion from the CCP so they had waited for their opportunity and have leverage.

With Fumio's guidance, the Kilaaks had given them their chance. Although the Taiwanese army numbered close to 300,000, it was hopelessly outnumbered 6 to 1. The Kilaaks armed them with their own advanced weaponry and then dropped them on Tibet's doorstep. A single Taiwanese soldier could easily take down 20 men with just one pass of a Kilaak flame thrower or heat cannon.

But in the end, none of this mattered. The civil war facilitated by the Kilaaks was serving no other purpose than buying time. When the Kunlun volcano was finally triggered, a Magnitude 10 earthquake buried the needle on Richter scales throughout the region. As the fault line shattered, untold devastation tore across Lhasa like a giant scythe, wiping out both armies in one of the most horrific displays of mass genocide the world had ever or would ever see.

_Round-up_

It was about dusk when a massive, ominous shape blocked out the setting sun as it descended toward Monsterland. The emergency alarms suddenly sounding throughout the island's main complex jolted Cillian Bakker from his near slumber, having dozed off while wading through some tedious paperwork in his office. He quickly rushed to the Surveillance Center and saw what appeared to be a gigantic three-clawed hand reaching down through the cloud cover. When it descended further, he realized what it was.

"No... not a hand... a ship?" he asked no one in particular. The aliens had come here as well! Cillian searched his memory as he watched the mammoth craft slowly float down but did not recognize it. He couldn't even begin to guess who was now at their very doorstep. Worry and uncertainty consumed him as he thought he had found a refuge here; a place where battles, invasions and the chaos that enveloped the rest of the world would not find him. Only now did he realize that there was no safe haven, no real refuge from the invaders that threatened the Earth. He had been a naive fool to ever think otherwise.

Secondary alarms began to sound which usually were only activated when a kaiju had left the island. Cillian and the rest of the staff quickly checked the various monitors.

"Baragon is gone!" a lab technician exclaimed. "Wait a minute... so is Varan!"

"Kumonga is gone, too!" another called out.

"No sign of Ebirah either!" a third voice shouted.

"We've just lost Godzilla Junior..." Their voices became a mixed wash of hysterics and confusion as Cillian watched flashing blips on a location screen that displayed where the kaiju were on the island disappear one by one. Suddenly, it hit him.

"Ang!" he shouted as he bolted out the door towards Anguirus Junior's lair. When he reached the young kaiju's resting place, he called out his name. The monster was gazing curiously up at the ship hovering high above but turned when he heard Cillian's voice. A fearful cry was heard by the horrified human just before the now nearly full-grown Anguirusaurus seemingly dematerialized and vanished in a flash of light.

"Nooooooooo!" Cillian screamed, falling to his knees. When the Xian mothership had teleported all of the island's resident kaiju aboard, it retreated back up into the clouds. The now rather barren island was left behind with its panicked and befuddled staff and one lonely human, kneeling in the dirt with his tear-stained face buried in his hands.

On Ganymede, the Hall of Discussion was now a burning ruin. It had stood for the past twenty years as a symbol of possible hope for the future alliance of Earth and Planet X but that was no more. A lone figure walked up to where the statue of Ambassador Glenn once stood. Now, it lay smashed and shattered on the ground.

Rentis' mind raced as he gazed upon the despoiled monument, Ken'trus' response to what he called an act of war. The Controller claimed that the Earthlings were responsible for the disappearance of Sar'rious and their treachery had to be punished. The destruction of the Hall and the statue of his human father was retribution.

Although Rentis never knew either of his parents, he was thankful that his mother chose to permit his birth and grateful to his father for the human emotions he was able to experience. Of course, none of that would matter if Ken'trus had not intervened on his behalf years ago, preventing his termination.

He owed him just as much, if not more and served Ken'trus loyally without question or doubt. He couldn't help but be concerned about the path their race was about to embark upon. The last thing they needed was a repeat of what happened in 1966.

"Rentis, this is Drone 692," a robotic voice suddenly spoke from his communicator, startling the Xian hybrid. "The Controller requests an explanation for your departure."

"Just running a brief errand. I am returning now," Rentis responded before turning back toward his shuttle.

He stopped for a moment, completely unmoving. Then he slowly looked over his shoulder, back at where the statue once stood. After gazing at it for a few seconds, he departed.


	10. The Vanguard

_San Francisco_

"This is David Mann, reporting live from downtown San Francisco," spoke the image on the television screen. Mann worked for a small news station, KPX Channel 35. Were it not for him and his unique charisma, their few viewers would have tuned out years ago. The mustachioed 35 year-old, with his trademark sunglasses, held on to those precious viewers who tuned in every night from 7 to 8 P.M. to see how he managed to turn small-time events around The City by the Bay into a comedy routine. However, today was not one of those days as he was doing a remote special news bulletin. David Mann, along with hundreds of others, was also running for his life.

The cameraman turned to face down the street where the huge form of Oodako filled his lens. Twice already, a giant octopus had besieged San Francisco. More ironic was the fact that Oodako was the unknowing brother of the last one that had paid the city a visit. The huge cephalopod had latched onto two buildings with two colossal tentacles, then dragged itself along the street. The screams of hundreds were silenced instantly as the giant mass of flesh crushed anyone who happened to be in front of it. Oodako reached out with another tentacle and lifted ten people off the ground, eyed them for a second and raised itself slightly to shove them into its gaping beak. Of course, this did not appease the creature's hunger so it slid forward.

"Ladies and gentlemen," continued Mann. "This creature appeared mere minutes ago and now, hundreds are dead. Oh - oh my God! The giant octopus has just lifted an entire tanker truck off the ground and it seems - oh Jesus, ladies and gentlemen! It's scavenging around in the truck as if trying to pull out an anchovy. Oh, now it's found the driver and, like so many others, this monstrosity is devouring him! Now, as if it were a toy, the octopus has flung the tanker into the side of a building!" The sound of an explosion followed and the already shaky video signal from the camera vanished for a few seconds. When the picture came back on, Mann wasn't reporting but running, not caring in the slightest about getting the story. A hideous roar came from the direction of the bay.

At first, the panicking crowds didn't notice as a hairy, wet King Kong emerged from the water. He reared back his mighty head and roared, his bellows echoing for miles. Then the screams returned as two separate groups of running pedestrians met. One ran from Kong and the other from Oodako.

The octopus had its back to the ape as it continued eating people and didn't notice Kong until electricity surged through its body. It jerked its head in the direction of the great ape and saw FOOD, a gigantic source of food! This creature could sustain its ravenous appetite for months. Oodako didn't remember Kong, nor the terrible wounds he had inflicted upon him in a previous battle. All the octopus cared about was food. Using the same technique it had earlier, it latched its tentacles on two buildings and launched itself forward. Like a child running toward a candy store, Oodako slithered across the city toward its prize. Kong stood where he was as this appeared very amusing to him. He knew he would have no problem tackling this weakling but watching it wallow in complete self-confidence made the ape nearly laugh.

"I will let you have first shot," Kong taunted in kaiju-speak. The octopus couldn't possibly understand him but he didn't care and leaped at the giant ape, spreading tentacles out like a gargantuan quilt of death. Kong raised a metallic arm and the octopus smacked into it. Instantly, the tentacles wrapped around it and the beak went to work, trying to bite through the metal to the warm flesh beneath. Kong lifted his arm up to eye level and marveled at the stupidity of the creature before smashing it into a building. Surprised that it was still hanging on, Kong began back-handing everything within reach until the octopus fell off.

Oodako gradually pulled itself out of the rubble and with its suckered appendages, began climbing the side of a building. Kong grabbed onto its massive stomach and tugged but the octopus was determined to not let go of its anchorage. He then shoved his hands into the beast's air holes. At once, its body shrank as it struggled to breathe. Seizing the opportunity, Kong jerked Oodako from the building, its tentacles still gripping pieces of it. He brought the creature closer and sent electricity surging through it. A horrifying scream was all Oodako could manage before exploding. Chunks flew everywhere and a sticky, light orange goo coated streets, sidewalks and structures. Kong bellowed a victory yell and slung the mass of tentacles into the air. Then, like a target shooter, he hurled a ball of lightning at the tangle of flesh, exploding the last remaining vestiges of his enemy.

At first, people didn't know what to make of their savior who didn't seem like a threat to them. After all, he had just killed the giant octopus and was just standing there. They stayed quietly behind buildings and cars while mothers held their children back. Every time the ape made a small grunt or turned his head, they would jump in surprise. Then came the few brave souls who approached him. The first was a little girl in a red dress who couldn't have been more than seven years old, her hair in two blonde pony tails. She carried a stuffed bear she affectionately called 'William'. Her mother ran after her, fearful of Kong but the ape didn't harm the girl. In fact, he didn't even notice her until he felt the slightest of tugs as she hugged the fur on the side of his gargantuan leg. Then others crowded around the giant with words of praise and thanks. They didn't care that he couldn't hear them, nor understand what they were saying for that matter.

Kong looked down at the people of San Francisco. They were so humble, so thankful and it was as if they were treating him like a god. They would be like all the others to come, but bowing down before him for salvation from his vicious wrath. Kong's kind, friendly look quickly disappeared. He snarled and slammed his fist through a building. The last thing his praisers saw was tons of debris crashing down upon them. That was when the American siege began.

For a brief instant, the citizens of San Francisco were speechless. Then reality smacked every last one of them in the face like a ton of bricks. Their screams drowned out Kong's battle cry as they scattered anywhere they could get to. It was impossible to tell how many were trampled to death by the fleeing mobs. Kong felt like a fat kid in a candy store. Looking down one street, he aimed at a group of people, placing his hands so that they formed a triangle. A stream of electricity blasted forth, instantly incinerating them.

The call of the MOGERA rang out from the Bay area. The clanking of their metal bodies announced six of the metal leviathans walking out of the water in a pyramid formation. With a precision that couldn't be matched, they snapped their arms in front of them. In three steps, they formed a semi-circle with each MOGERA facing a different part of the city. Simultaneously, their pincher hands opened to reveal a gigantic missile stored in each arm. Twelve missiles shot forth, leaving a vapor trail behind them. When they hit, a massive shockwave wracked the city to its very core.

Meanwhile, Kong made his way to the Golden Gate Bridge where vehicles were frantically trying to reach one side or the other. There had already been several collisions and some people had even driven off the great span. Kong grabbed a side of the bridge and began to push it back and forth as if he were rocking a cradle. Tires squealed as drivers tried to accelerate up the steep incline that was being created. The water below was quickly turning into a graveyard of sinking cars and dead bodies. With all his might, Kong gave a shove, sending the bridge swinging to a near 90-degree angle. When it swung back to him, he smashed his two metal fists through it. The beams and suspension couldn't hold the mighty landmark anymore and it collapsed, sending any remaining traffic to the murky depths.

Next to fall was the Transamerica Pyramid. Like penguins diving into the water, each MOGERA boosted itself into the air with its jet propulsion, then dove at the ground and drilled into the earth. Beneath the city, they raced toward their target. Still in formation, they went even farther down and then made a sharp turn upward. The ground rumbled as they came closer and closer, finally surfacing underneath and exactly in the middle of the Pyramid. The very tip of the building was where the first MOGERA's nose drill broke through. Once it was free, its companions followed. When all six machines were in the air, the Transamerica Pyramid resembled a peeled banana.

Three dropped to the ground on their treaded feet and began rolling through the Financial District, blowing up everything in sight with their lasers. The other trio flew through the air like gigantic birds of terror, raining down death from above. They dove through skyscrapers without the least bit of harm to themselves. Lasers from their diamond eyes ripped the pavement from the streets.

Kong was having a field day as well. He would climb a building and when he reached the top, he would punch his fists through the roof. Then he would release huge amounts of electricity into the structure to set it afire. However, there was much of the beautiful city left to be devastated and what had been destroyed was only a demonstration. The Mysterians, Xians and Virans only wanted to give the world a taste of what was in store for it. Now was the time to claim the land in the name of the three great races that made up the Space Force Directive.

Underneath the City by the Bay, the epitome of Mysterian/Xian technology made itself known. Two giant walls burst forth from the ground, not the least bit deterred by cars, buildings or people they crushed as they reached for the sky, expanded outward and then formed two monstrous domes over the center of town. Four more popped up at other locations. By 12:33 P.M., San Francisco, California was completely cut off from the rest of the world. No radio or television signal could reach above or beneath the mammoth structures. The American siege had begun in a very big way.

_Los Angeles_

At 12:43 P.M., there was noise. A constant barrage of sound was all that could be heard throughout the City of Angels but it wasn't the normal city-associated hubbub. The second most populous city in the United States was in a state of emergency as television screens across America showed the horror of the attack on San Francisco. They had no choice because the alien invaders had somehow hacked into every broadcast station and forced their message on their astonished audiences.

As the great domes closed, the view switched to a seated, red-hooded figure. Behind him stood another humanoid and an odd tentacled creature. The one in red spoke into the cameras and microphones conveniently arranged for his very special announcement.

"Greetings, people of America. What you have just witnessed was indeed our work and certainly not the achievement of any of your pathetic human enemies.

"I am Lord Koban, ruler of the Mysterians. To my left is Ken'trus of the Xians and to my right, Master C'seris, the Viran Commander and Captain of the AZAG-THOTH. It was our combined might that you just saw demonstrated and it is our combined might that will take over the United States of America. Resist us and you will die. Bow before us and you will be saved. There is no alternative. We will slaughter our way across the land until we reach your nation's capital. There, we hope your President will have a nice little talk with us about giving over your country for our needs.

"If any negotiations are to be offered before we reach our intended destination, I suggest you let us know. All hostility against us will be destroyed in the same manner as we have just demonstrated. The Space Force Directive is in control now." Television screens and radios would repeat this message for the next twelve hours. And when the feed was discontinued, every single channel and frequency devoted itself to reporting on it, despite the fact that everyone knew its source and content.

In Washington, the President ordered fighter squadrons sent to California to combat the Directive but they were never heard from again. Any place the Army and Air Force went, no news came out of that area, either from the military or the local media. All that could be determined was information on the aliens' locations and even that was often sketchy due to security concerns.

Soon, it was noticed that the Directive was moving south from San Francisco. The President ordered everyone in southern California evacuated. It was a long shot but what else could he do, just stand by and watch people die? In the fear and panic of the moment, nobody noticed the Directive's true plans until it was too late. They were simply going to take over Los Angeles anyway.

The news spread like wildfire across the state. National Guard troops were immediately sent to protect areas that had not been invaded yet. Some made the fatal mistake of venturing into captured territory. There was no telling how many soldiers were rushing people out of Los Angeles but it certainly wasn't enough to assist the million-plus residents.

In some areas, there were riots, pillaging, carnage and death. The police soon stopped trying to preserve order and some even joined in on the mayhem. Cars and vehicular traffic almost immediately came to a complete halt because of its sheer volume. The luckiest ones were those who decided to get out on foot.

Entire families, most with just the clothes on their backs, fled the city as fast as possible. Cruise ships and commercial airlines offered free transportation away from the metropolis. However, these small attempts to save people were actually trapping masses of humanity. Whatever plans that were conceived didn't matter when, atop the Hollywood Hills, a war cry echoed over the City of Angels, signaling that the Space Force Directive had arrived.

The hulking monstrosity that was King Kong stood above the familiar HOLLYWOOD sign, eying the city below as if it were a gold mine. He raised his arms toward the sky and bellowed as Mysterian ships and MOGERAs flew by high above him. With one swipe, he destroyed the huge letters of the landmark and headed for the heart of the city. Troops stationed there were overwhelmed as total chaos erupted amongst the thousands of panicking people. Cars crashed, property was trashed and somebody was dying every second from being caught under the fleeing multitude of feet. It was truly Hell on Earth.

Electricity crackled across Kong's fingers. From each one shot a constant flow of energy that destroyed property as if it were cardboard. People caught in these electric tendrils could only let out a scream before their bodies exploded into millions of pieces. "Sing, my children!" Kong bellowed in kaiju-speak. "SING FOR ME!" He drove a hard punch straight into the ground that sent out a shock wave, uplifting the pavement, cars on the roadways and crumbling the foundations of buildings. Finding pleasure in his little trick, he leaped into the air and brought both of his great fists crashing into the ground as a squadron of F-18s raced toward the oncoming forces.

"All units fire at will. I repeat, FIRE AT WILL!" ordered the commanding officer over the radio. The jets flew down below the clouds and toward a group of MOGERAs, firing their missiles at the titans. The most they did was leave a blast mark on their metal hides and alert them of their presence. The MOGERAs' heads snapped in the direction of their attackers and each computer brain assessed the aircraft before igniting their jet boosters and chasing after them.

Some pilots fled while others stayed behind and fired off their entire payloads. They were treated to a stream of eye lasers that exploded planes on contact. Kicking their boosters into high gear, the MOGERAs followed the fleeing jets. Half the pilots veered higher into the sky while others went low to the ground. They headed straight for the skyscrapers, dodging them by mere inches. The MOGERAs were undeterred and crashed right through the structures in their pursuit.

Fighters that couldn't turn in time flew into the sides of buildings. A few made it out of the maze, only to have a MOGERA rise up under them, their aircraft exploding against their metal bodies.

The remaining planes that had fled into the sky soon found themselves alone. Sensing no danger, they headed back toward the city. However, they had underestimated their adversaries who came from their hiding places in the clouds and blasted them out of the sky.

In the city, Mysterian space ships shot their lasers at the running pedestrians and buildings. Kong stomped down the Sunset Strip, incinerating everything in sight. He created a whip of electricity and slashed it across the area in front of him, sending dirt and debris flying into the air above the explosions. MOGERAs methodically laid waste to downtown L.A.

At the docks, people were frantically trying to get aboard departing boats. Suddenly, a MOGERA rose up out of the water in front of one ship. The captain ordered a hard left turn before the vessel crashed into the robot. It lifted the huge vessel out of the water and flipped it over.

Kong tore his way through one tall building after another. He would rip pieces off, raise them above his head and then throw them down on the fleeing, panicked citizens. Before he could demolish another one, a shot came out of the air and blew his chunk of metal to pieces. Kong's attention instantly turned to the direction of the blast. Hovering in the air behind him loomed Battra.

"Ah, good!" Kong declared with delight. "A fight!"

"I have come to destroy you once and for all!" Battra roared.

"Wait a minute... I know that voice. Yes, it is you, the worm that I beat to a bloody pulp! I am surprised you are still alive. My, how you have changed, worm! Tell me - how is that scar of yours?" Battra glanced behind him at the deep mark left from Kong slicing his exoskeleton open. Even though he had gone through his metamorphosis, the scar still remained.

"It is still there. And I expect to repay you for it!"

"Oh, come now, worm! Revenge isn't a trait associated with heroism."

"Who said I was fighting you to be a hero?"

"You seem confident in yourself, worm. I am going to enjoy taking you down a notch." Kong cocked his hand and fired a ball of electricity at Battra. The Black Mothra leaped out of the way as it blasted through a building. Battra then rammed Kong and latching his feet onto his head, proceeded to drag the mighty ape across the ground. He sped up faster and faster until he became airborne.

Battra made a sharp turn upwards, heading straight for the sky. Higher and higher he climbed until oxygen was becoming dangerously scarce. Then he did a hard right and went into a dive toward the ground. An ear-piercing sonic whir announced their return to the lower atmosphere.

Two thousand feet above the surface, Battra slung the giant beast with all his might and veered off. Head first, Kong hit the ground like a ton of bricks. A massive impact crater nearly a mile wide caved the ground in on itself. The shockwave was felt across the entirety of Los Angeles.

Having noticed that Battra was indeed a threat, the MOGERAs went on the offensive. As with the fighter planes, they chased the insect across the sky. Battra tried numerous aerial tricks to dodge their laser fire but none were working too well. Once again, he went plummeting for the ground, swerving and missing impact by mere feet.

With amazing velocity, he turned and launched himself away as the pursuing MOGERAs crashed. Nevertheless, the robots had not left this move uncalculated. The ones that hit drilled deep into the earth. Others followed their pre-determined course after the Black Moth. To their surprise, it was nowhere to be found. Baffled, they scanned the area in different sensory modes.

"I'm sorry... Were you looking for me?" came a kaiju voice from behind them. The robots turned their heads as Battra blasted his ionic prism beam right through them. His moment of triumph was short-lived as the drilling MOGERAs burst forth from the ground and crashed right into the hovering insect. One after the other, they landed painful blows.

The battering was sending Battra higher and higher into the air and so fast that he had no idea what was happening until he felt gravity pull him back to Earth. The MOGERAs weren't going to let him leave without a final present. Each pincher hand opened and sent forth a missile. Battra opened his eyes and saw them coming.

"Sweet Mother of Gaia... " he muttered just before the projectiles detonated across his black hide. Battra shrieked in anguish as he became a living fireball. Beneath the flames, the insect painfully turned his head and saw the target he was heading for. Standing in his crater with the biggest of smiles on his face was King Kong.

NO! PLEASE NO! The electricity went through his mighty arms and released a whip-like beam straight at Battra that sent the mammoth insect spiraling into the harbor. A tidal wave raised the remaining ships out of the water and flooded the immediate area. The MOGERAs and Mysterian ships crowded the shore and in the air where Battra sank beneath the waves. Kong pushed his way through to get his own look. The bubbles signaling Battra's breathing had now all but ceased. He faced Los Angeles and pointed in the direction of the dying bubbles.

"DO YOU SEE, MY CHILDREN? DO YOU SEE MY POWER? NOTHING CAN DEFEAT MY POWER. NOTHING! NOW YOU KNOW WHO YOUR TRUE GOD -"

SLAM! Ionic prism beams burst from the water and blasted across the waves, taking out numerous MOGERAs and space ships as they sought their target on Kong's back. The impact from the blast was tremendous and sent the ape head over heels across the city. Kong stopped rolling at the foot of a massive tower that collapsed on top of him. At once, MOGERAs and Mysterian battle craft fired their lasers at where the beams had come from but the commanding officer ordered a cease fire. Silence prevailed as not a single trace of the titanic insect appeared but out of nowhere, a MOGERA's head was blown off and its body fell into the water in a shower of sparks.

All of the mechs' heads turned skyward as Battra loomed over them against the sun. He had managed to fly out of the water as his point of impact was being attacked. Across his body were massive burns and the beautiful red and yellow coloring of his hide was now nearly black. Laser and missile fire trailed as he sped through the sky. There was no way he could destroy the entire Mysterian army nor did he care to. All Battra wanted was Kong. As if in answer his challenge, bolts of electricity shot forth from the pile of debris the giant ape was buried in. Battra swooped past him as the artillery that was trailing him blasted their ally. Kong punished a few who fired on him with a blast of electricity. With his hand, he motioned for the army to stop shooting. This was one enemy whose death he wished to accomplish himself.

Battra came in for another attack, firing ionic prism beams down on Kong like hail. He was lucky to deflect the few he did but the insect was relentless in its assault. Getting his timing more precise, Kong unleashed a horde of electric rays on the underbelly of his foe as Battra flew over him. Doing a complete front flip in the air, Battra launched himself at Kong while upside down and ran smack into him.

His horns dug deep into the ape's side as he plowed Kong through buildings as if he were a battering ram. With a mighty roar filled with pain and rage, Kong dug his feet into the ground hard. Slowly but surely, Battra was losing speed under the great ape's strength.

When he had gotten to a slow enough pace, Kong grabbed hold of the moth and ripped him out of his side to throw him over his shoulder. With Battra's head in his arms, both crashed down on a massive freeway interchange. Pieces of the roadways and dust went up in the air in a giant shower of debris. Beneath the cloud, Kong slowly rose to his feet, electricity shining brightly across his hands. Battra tried to turn so as to face Kong to shoot him with a prism beam when a shock went through his body.

"It seems you do have some fight left in you after all. Oh, well... Looks like I will have to shock it out of you... " Another wave of electricity surged through Battra. "I must admit that flying enemies are always the toughest to beat." He hit the Black Moth with another blast. "But compared to me, you will always be a pathetic, BLAST! insignificant BLAST! little BLAST! WORM!"

Slowly, Battra had eased his way over the top of a very long, sharp piece of debris. Before Kong released his death blow, the insect leaped into the air and jabbed the great beam through Kong's lower shoulder.

"So sorry to interrupt your speech, oh great one, but I am not finished yet," he hissed in the ape's ear. Battra swatted Kong to the side with his wing and circled around in the air for another attack. Suddenly, he halted in mid-air. In his mind, he sensed something. Something that meant danger.

Mothra! She was in terrible peril in Japan and needed his help immediately. The insect looked down at Kong who was easing the shard from his shoulder. Cursing in kaiju-speak, Battra turned to fly across the Pacific.

"Hear me!" he roared to Kong. "This is far from over! We shall meet again soon. Wherever you go, I will find and destroy you. You may slay hundreds or even thousands but never forget that I, Battra, will always be there to lay the final blow upon you!" Kong snapped around just as Battra took off into the sky. He fired two bolts of electricity but the moth dodged them as he soared off into the clouds and out of sight.

"COWARD!" Kong roared. "I WILL BE WAITING ON THE DAY YOU DECIDE TO CHALLENGE MY POWER AGAIN!" He let out a grunt of frustration and turned toward the objective that lay before the Space Force Directive. Los Angeles was a complete wreck. Any more damage could be taken care of by the occupation forces. The MOGERAs and space ships rose into the air as massive domes once again enshrouded the dead, dying and wounded of a once great American city.

_Nebulan Reaction_

At the Nebulan's base, Fumio stood thinking as he watched footage of the invasion force moving through Los Angeles, laying waste to whatever stood before them. The expression he was wearing was grim as Kubota came up beside him.

"So the Mysterians have finally shown their hand," Fumio muttered in a disgruntled tone.

"Indeed... Along with the Xians and the Virans, no less," Kubota added.

"It was only a matter of time. The battle in Earth's orbit was simply a portend of things to come."

"Am I to assume that our plans will have to change again, Chairman?"

"Possibly, but I want to see what the response is by the United World Powers first. I am sure that their assistance will be sought in this matter, seeing as how the American humans are ill-equipped to deal with things such as this. I find it interesting that they have not learned from their own human history that a strong defense is the best offense."

"They also seem to believe they are the best and strongest nation of their species, not wishing to accept the fact that there are others in the universe much better versed in the ways of survival," the Viceroy remarked with an evil grin.

"Indeed," Fumio smiled.

"Are you pondering something, sir?"

"Yes. Why deplete our own manpower and resources when we can let our so-called allies bear the brunt of this attack? Let the Earth alliance fight this battle themselves and allow the warring factions to batter and weaken one another."

"Shall we lay low and let everyone else combat one another?"

"No. We can wipe out the UWP ourselves and then use what we salvage from them, along with our own technology, to deal with the Directive and anyone else that stands in our way. But for now, let us take one step at a time and just bear witness to what unfolds."

"And if this new alien alliance should come for us?"

"Actually, Kubota, a new plan has suddenly occurred to me. One that will buy us some time and address another growing threat as well."

"And if our assistance is requested?"

"Nothing that a communications black-out would not fix," Fumio grinned.

"What of the planned UWP offensive against the Gudis?"

"What about the Kilaaks?"

"I have grave concerns about our partnership with them. I do wish I could be sure of what was going to happen next..."

"Several unexpected variables have introduced themselves since we began this exercise, whether it be the Kilaaks actions or all the various other races that have come to this planet. Should we retreat and regroup?"

"No. We are not beaten yet, Kubota. Our superior intelligence shall win this war for us in the end as you will see. We shall succeed... We always succeed," Fumio stated confidently.

_San Diego_

"Sir, another dozen robots have been sighted in Washington state!" A soldier handed a slip of paper to the Secretary of Defense.

"MOGERAs?"

"It seems so, sir."

"Thank you, soldier." The young man saluted and walked out of the Oval Office. The Secretary gave an uneasy glance at the President who was seated behind his desk. "Sounds like the Mysterians are back, sir."

"This just can't be happening!" the President sprang out of his chair, his face changing from shock to confusion and back again. "First, it was the Kilaaks in Japan. Then the Simeons. And now this? What is happening to us? Is this even possible?" He looked down at his desk, trying to contain his emotions while taking a deep breath to try and collect himself. "Jim, do we have any chance at all of defending ourselves against the Mysterians?" The Secretary smiled.

"We sure as hell can try."

"Do it, then."

"Yes, sir!" He left for the Pentagon to rejoin the Joint Chiefs of Staff and muster the nation's remaining military defenses. The Vice President turned up the volume on the television at the other side of the room and the two head executive officers of the United States watched a news bulletin. A woman, perhaps Korean, was standing on the outskirts of San Diego with a large Xian space craft hovering over the city.

" - everyone is fleeing in panic, though nothing has happened yet. There is worry that San Diego will fall victim to the Xians like San Francisco did to other aliens. City officials are trying to reassure the people about our treaty with the Xians but the panic persists. We are still awaiting the federal government's response to all of this. Will America fight off this new enemy alone? Will the United Nations agree to help? Can we expect any relief from the Simeons or is everyone too concerned with Japan?" Her train of thought was interrupted as a humming sound filled the air and a blinding flash of twisting light shot down from the nose of the space ship, materializing into a giant monster.

"Look there! The Xians have just beamed down an Anguirus! What their intent is, we can only guess but at this point, it doesn't seem too good. Its roar is deafening! Ah! Now it is running down the street and heading right for us! My God! It has coiled itself into an armored ball! It's coming right for -" The picture on the television screen turned to static until a news anchorman appeared.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have lost contact with San Diego. We will try to update you as the situation develops there. In other news, the United World Powers is said to be assembling a counter-action against the Kilaaks who have re-activated several South Pacific volcanos..."

The Vice President looked up with a long face toward the Commander-in-Chief who was now standing behind his desk. "We won't survive this."

Aboard the Xian mothership, Rentis made the final inspection of the mind control equipment that would be used with the Monsterland kaiju. He also inspected each of the monsters themselves before beaming them down.

"Everything is in working order," a drone reported.

"Excellent. Notify Ken'trus. Once the operation has his approval, he will advise the captains of the carrier ships."

Rentis then walked by the kaiju holding cells. The mind mastery technology being used was far more advanced than what they employed for the original invasion. No meddlesome humans were going to interfere with the command signals this time.

Rentis himself created this new upgrade and reveled in his handiwork. All that remained was to see it in action, operating flawlessly as he was sure it would.

However, as the Chief of the Xian Science Unit walked by Godzilla Junior's holding cell, he noticed a brief flinch by the kaiju. He gazed at the beast intently and then requested a copy of its brainwave activity.

"Increase the signal sent to this one," Rentis ordered before leaving the confinement area.

A single solitary tear could be seen in the corner of Godzilla Junior's right eye. For the briefest of moments, his own will cried out for its freedom, only to be crushed by the Xian control signal.

The foster son of the king of all monsters was no longer a prince but a puppet.

The gigantic armored ball of spikes bounced and rolled across the city, laying waste to everything in its path. Finally, Anguirus Junior uncurled himself and skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust. Looking at his feet, the kaiju saw a bus jammed amongst dozens of automobiles in the middle of the street. Had he skidded another few meters, all of these vehicles would have been crushed. The people within them screamed, looking out their windows and trying to see the massive size of the creature. Anguirus pulled back his head while inhaling and let out an ear-splitting roar.

The glass in the surrounding apartments, cars, trucks and the bus shattered. He then lifted his left foreleg and brushed the bus aside, flinging it across and through the traffic jam before marching onward. With a swing of his tail, the beast leveled an entire city block of apartments. Houses, office buildings, stores - they all gave way beneath the giant quadruped's body as its mighty feet smashed through brick and steel. His tail knocked over tall buildings, crushing hundreds of people within as he marched onward, smoke and fire ascending wherever he went. In his mind-controlled state, Anguirus didn't even acknowledge Ebirah on the other side of the city. The huge red crustacean dwarfed the Ankylosaurus, as well as its surroundings, save for perhaps the skyscrapers but even such majestic structures were no match for the monsters or the firepower of the Xian ships. The city was quickly being reduced to rubble, with only crumbling buildings spewing smoke and flame left decorating the landscape.

A squad of small Xian fighter craft hovered over the kaiju, raining laser beams down onto the structures below. The panicking populace scattered every which way, trying to avoid the deadly barrage and falling debris. Crowds ran toward the East Side, only to encounter an enormous lobster ripping through a hotel like a model building. On the West Side, the ships zoomed past on their course of destruction. To the north, there was a building collapsing and to the south, a larger Xian craft blasted apart all highways and main roads. They were trapped.

From the primary spacecraft, a squad of armed Xian soldiers beamed down and arranged themselves to march toward the crowd of fear-stricken humans. In cold, emotionless voices, they ordered them to remain where they were. The majority were too frightened to run but a few brave souls dared it and were quickly shot down.

"Remain perfectly still and you will live longer than you may anticipate," ordered their commanding officer. The people watched the aliens' every move intently, which was very little. Suddenly, they felt lighter, as if their bodies were dematerializing. In a flash of light, they vanished. The Xian had telepathically commanded the computer on board his ship to engage the transporter beam and within seconds, the soldiers had also disappeared. This scenario was replayed over and over again throughout the city until everyone not shot, blown apart or stepped on was captured and brought aboard the Xian vessel and placed in sound-proof cells. The ship began to move away and the small fighters regrouped. The monsters dematerialized, leaving San Diego in a fiery ruin.

At Ogasawara, Cillian Bakker watched the static-filled television coverage with a mortified grimace. Seeing his precious Ang being used as an instrument of the Xians to kill and destroy (along with the other kaiju from Monsterland) made him sick to his stomach. A combination of anger and frustration had slowly built up within him until he had no choice but to release it.

"It isn't right!" he screamed, hurling a glass across the room which shattered against the wall next to the laboratory doors just as Doctor Kenji Kamaiya stepped inside. Cillian's teacher and mentor was startled by the close call and looked from the impact point back to his student who now leaned over a desk, his hands supporting him as he hung his head in apparent despair.

"Cillian? I know how you feel. It makes me angry as well but what is done is done. The aliens have the kaiju now and there is nothing we can do about it. We should be focusing on picking up the pieces and getting back to our work..."

"Work?" Cillian began to say, standing up and turning towards Kenji. "What work? You said it yourself. The Xians have the kaiju now. All of them are gone! They were our work and always were. They were the only reason for our being here in the first place!" he continued furiously.

"And they shall be again. There are other kaiju in the world besides the ones that were stolen from us. We can begin again, Cillian," the professor tried to reassure him but this only served to further anger his young protégé.

"So we just forget about them? Like they were nothing or never really mattered?"

"Cillian, that is not what I mean and you know it..."

"They were never more than just experiments to you or scientific curiosities? Have you no idea what we've lost, sir?"

"Now listen, Cillian-"

"No, you listen!" he shouted, cutting him off. "These creatures were and are the crown of creation. There was, is and never shall be anything like them again on this Earth! So majestic and beautiful... priceless, irreplaceable... And now, nothing more than pawns of these invaders, tainting them with their blood-soaked plans of conquest and turning them into murdering MONSTERS!"

"Cillian... they are kaiju. For many of them, killing is second nature. Mankind has seldom co-existed with them. You speak of them as if they were benevolent beasts, yet the history of several of the specimens that we kept on this very island began with death and destruction."

"Not Ang. We witnessed his birth, brought him back here with us, raised him, nurtured him! He would never so much as harm a fly!"

"And finally we come to the heart of the matter, Cillian. I warned you about developing emotional bonds with these animals, of where it could lead. Your duty and responsibility as a scientist comes first."

"To Hell with duty and responsibility! Ang is all that matters now and I must find a way to save him!"

"Are you listening to yourself? You are talking crazy! No one can save them now! The Xians, when they are finished with them, will either take them with them or... dispose of them. The only salvation they can hope for now... is death."

"I refuse to except that!"

"You must, Cillian! You have no choice..."

"There are always choices!"

"Not this time," his mentor said sternly. "I will not let you leave..."

"Fine! Then I quit," Cillian retorted sharply. He ripped his security badge from his shirt and threw it down at the Professor's feet. Kenji looked down at it and then at his prize student, his eyes wide with disbelief as this fellow scientist walked by him and out the door. Cillian never looked back.

Having blazed a trail of death and destruction up the West Coast, the Mysterians began their trek across the northernmost Untied States. From Washington state, they passed through the northern tip of Idaho, Montana and crossed near the Missouri River into North Dakota. The massive army traveled through miles of crop land, a small tactical error on the part of General Kugo. There was little human population in this area but that would not prove to be a problem. They could cross the flatlands in record time and continue their wave of annihilation.

Since the invasion began, the United States started consolidating more and more of its military resources to better address the Space Force Directive's projected plan of attack. The only foolproof method of monitoring their activities was by satellite. Nearly every ground-based piece of tracking equipment had been destroyed by their spacecraft's initial attacks on military installations. When other countries refused to help America, they also cut off access to their satellites as well. The U.S. was now using every orbiting device imaginable with its name on it that hadn't been turned into space junk, including privately-owned television and telephone equipment. DISH, Alltel and others could settle up with their subscribers when the state of emergency was over.

It was noted that the Directive had split into two different groups, one proceeding north and the other taking a southern route from their initial point of attack in California. The central states were left relatively untouched. However, every political and military official knew that wouldn't be the case for long. The heartland was bound to come under attack sooner or later, if for no other reason than the vast area of real estate it offered.

By the time the Mysterians had reached the plains of North Dakota, a plan had been formulated to take advantage of this highly under-populated area. The country's nuclear resources in Kansas City also hadn't been destroyed yet. In a matter of hours, the Pentagon determined that a nuclear strike on the Mysterians in North Dakota was a rather risky but sure-fire way of ridding the country and the world of the Space Force Directive's northern contingent.

At 8:30 A.M., missiles blasted off from their underground Kansas silos and headed toward their northern targets. It was hoped that any citizens caught in the fallout and the nation itself would understand the reason for such drastic measures. Near Williston, the Mysterian forces were still in one large group. Typically, a few MOGERAs would scout ahead, followed by the bulk of the army. The platoons would fan out over nearly every part of a state to cover the most ground. Having just crossed into North Dakota, it was deemed that the army stick together before spreading out across the vast area with its widely scattered settlements. Five MOGERAs had already scouted ahead and relayed information back to the other robots and Mysterian commanders.

The combined forces of King Kong, the MOGERAs and the Mysterian and Viran support ships were following this simple procedure when the legion of robots halted and snapped their mechanical heads to the west, sensing something miles away that no living creature could. The soldiers in the air knew this behavior meant trouble. Their onboard computers reflected what the MOGERAs saw off in the distance - fast-approaching nuclear missiles. Instantly, a squad of MOGERAs and fighter craft took off to intercept them. Kong was left in the dust with a puzzled look on his face.

Despite the great speed of the weapons, the MOGERAs managed to catch up with them in mid-flight. Once they locked on, the machines used their eye lasers to slice off the still-flaming rockets that propelled the nukes. Another fifty miles and the army would have been turned into so much radioactive scrap. With the immediate threat over, the MOGERAs and ships landed. Mysterian soldiers specializing in nuclear applications rushed the undetonated warheads into their ships and disarmed them. The events of the morning were relayed to the North Pole base where the weapons would be fully dismantled and the MOGERAs returned to the ranks. The process would be mere child's play as the Mysterians were light years ahead of the humans in nuclear technology.

_Road Work_

The Kong-led MOGERA army was moving toward the North Dakota/Minnesota border when the mechs' sensors detected a lack of soil surface integrity but by then it was too late. Suddenly, the very ground itself gave way and they all fell into a massive sinkhole.

Megalon burst forth from his subterranean hiding place, opening fire on the airborne support ships. He had dug a trap, boring his way through the earth to intercept the alien army. One discharge of Megalon's weaponry was all it took to bring everything down in a domino effect.

At the head of the formation where Kong stood, a secondary trap dug into the bedrock gave way under his falling weight and he tumbled into an even deeper chasm, removing him from the battlefield. The robots activated their booster rockets to lift them clear, only to collide with Megalon as the great beetle kaiju took to the sky, unleashing his beams and projectiles. MOGERAs were blown apart left and right.

He then came down into the pit and tore into the MOGERAs with hand-to-hand attacks. The first MOGERA he encountered was beheaded as a second was cut in half from its left shoulder down through its right thigh. A third had its arms sliced off at the elbows and its torso drilled out. Another was gored by Megalon's star-shaped horn and flung overhead into a mech trying to attack from behind.

Horn beams and explosive pods found yet more targets. The support ships were content to hang back for the moment, not being able to open fire without hitting the MOGERAs in close such quarters with Megalon. The multi-terrain creature then dug down into the ground with the MOGERAs following him, using their sensors to pin-point his location and encircle him.

But as the alien constructs broke into the chamber the guardian was standing in, he shot back up toward the surface, leaving a large mound of volatile pods behind. The tremendous explosion destroyed them all as Megalon reappeared once more with flames erupting behind him.

Other MOGERAs that had been caught in the sinkhole dug themselves out as the Seatopian deity charged at them, roaring mightily. Kong was also slowly but surely climbing out of the deep chasm he had fallen into. When he finally reached the surface, all he saw was Megalon looking down at him from atop a pile of broken and shattered MOGERA parts.

"Nice strategy... Too bad it won't work," the giant ape rumbled.

"Actually, it already has. I knew I could not take both you and these machines on at the same time so a degree of separation was necessary. Now it is just you and me."

"Who are you?" Kong growled, not able to place this strange-looking creature.

"I am Megalon, protector of Seatopia."

"One of the kingdoms of old... I have heard of you. We share a common heritage and are both worshiped as gods by our people," Kong boasted.

"My people worship me because they choose to, out of respect. Yours worship you out of fear."

"Fear commands a different kind of respect," Kong grinned menacingly. "It is a lesson that I am now teaching the people of this land as well."

"After today, no one need ever fear you again," Megalon threatened.

"Then stop me, 'protector'... if you can!" Kong challenged. Megalon dove off the pile of wreckage and the two beasts rushed forward to meet head on.

Megalon launched a volley of pods and rays as his opponent ducked and dodged the explosives but took hits from the beams. Though the weaponry burned the kaiju's hide, the pain it caused only seemed to evoke Kong's ire. He raised his alloy-covered arms which deflected most of Megalon's long-range attacks until the gap closed between them. Then they began to hammer one another with their metallic appendages until Kong grabbed both of Megalon's drills and kicked him in the gut.

Temporarily winded, the Seatopian defender found himself in a bear hug as Kong tried to crush his exoskeleton in his massive arms. A head butt from the insectoid kaiju sent the titanic gorilla stumbling backward and clutching at his forehead.

Kong blindly released a blast of electricity that Megalon back-flipped to avoid. When the still-groggy ape looked up, his opponent tackled him. They both went down, wresting and struggling in a contest that Kong eventually proved superior at. Megalon was pinned face first in the dirt as Kong mounted him.

The great ape got a firm grip on the mammoth beetle's right arm and pulled hard until he heard the shoulder joint dislocate. Megalon let out a roar of pain as Kong pummeled the back of his head, lodging his crest horn in the ground. Kong then began to pump incredible amounts of voltage from his alloy arms into his captive who quickly realized that he would surely be electrocuted unless he did something fast.

"So tell me... who is going to protect the protector?" Kong taunted.

In desperation, the undersea guardian quickly opened his wings, smacking Kong in the face. Using the brief loss of concentration to his advantage, Megalon lashed out with his good arm to back-hand Kong off of him. As the ape turned back around, Megalon dove into the dismembered MOGERA pile to avoid the simian's electrical whips.

Kong swung them outward in a double back-hand motion, obliterating what remained of the Mysterian machinery but there was no sign of Megalon. When one of the still mostly intact MOGERAs rolled down in front of him, he didn't realize until the last second that Megalon had placed an incendiary pod inside it. The resulting explosion knocked the giant primate on his back as Megalon leapt up from under one of the fallen MOGERAs he had used for cover.

He landed right on top of Kong and heaved his left arm back to rip open the momentarily stunned kaiju's jugular, his right arm dangling uselessly at his side. But just then, a shower of rockets and beams exploded on Megalon's chest, knocking him back to tumble across the ground. He looked up to see a new slew of MOGERAs that was double the number of the previous force.

Megalon swore as he looked at Kong who was already getting back up and then at the oncoming MOGERAs. He knew he was out-gunned for sure this time. Quickly, he flew over to one side of the pit, slamming his dislocated shoulder into it to pop it back into place before burrowing underground. Several MOGERAs tried to follow but there was no being on Earth that could match Megalon's burrowing speed. He tunneled deep into the earth and far from the SFD's reach.

News of the encounter quickly reached the President in Washington. "Another kaiju attempted to combat the Space Force Directive in North Dakota but was forced to retreat, sir," the Vice President informed him.

"The same one that fought them in California?"

"No, sir. A different one: Megalon, the guardian of the Seatopians."

"I see... If an opportunity presents itself for any of us to catch our breath, I want to take a moment to extend my thanks to them both for trying to stop these invaders."

_Phoenix_

"Look, Mommy! A spaceship!" a little boy exclaimed joyfully, tugging at his mother's hand. The woman turned to gaze behind her into the clear blue sky. Moving silently toward the center of town was a large, slender, claw-shaped craft. She had no idea what it was or who it belonged to but her parental instincts told her to run.

"Come on, honey. We need to get home."

"But, Mommy! I want to stay and look!" whined the youngster as he was pulled off his feet. Their retreat was futile, however, as the ship had teleported two giant creatures into the heart of Phoenix. A loud roar grabbed their attention as a huge lizard-like monster rose to its full height. Pointed spikes ran down its head, neck, back and tail which dragged the ground. A thin, floppy layer of loose skin hung from its sides between its fore- and hind legs. The monster turned its head about, scoping out the area, then opened its mouth and roared again. This second sound sent everyone previously frozen in surprise running through the streets. Varan started moving toward the panicking crowd, smashing cars and pedestrians, toppling over buildings and destroying the entire area.

As he moved through a shopping district and away from the Xian ship, a gargantuan spider could be seen rousing itself from the ground. With a screech and chomping of its mandibles, Kumonga put his eight legs into motion and crept toward the center of the city. Coming upon a 20-story office complex, the monster lifted its foremost right appendage and shoved it through the building, crumbling it to dust. Kumonga continued destroying the high rises and corporate structures, causing fire and smoke to rise from much of what little remained of them.

On the ground below, what seemed like ants but were actually people rushed frantically out of their offices and into the streets and parking lots. Kumonga stopped his urban renewal efforts and sprayed a wide layer of silk into the air which fell over them like a huge sticky net. No one was able to struggle free, as if they had been welded to the trap. A squad of Xian fighter craft swooped down toward the trapped citizens, unleashing a wave of firepower that turned the jammed up tangle of cars and people into a sea of flame. Thousands tried desperately to leave Phoenix for Scottsdale in this early beginning of rush hour. The kaiju continued along a main street blocked with traffic, heading toward another busy section of the city.

Aboard the large spaceship ALPHA that was hovering motionless over the city's tallest skyscraper, the commanding officer leaned over the shoulder of the Xian who sat at a computer console controlling the spider. "Those humans can be too easily trapped. Leave some alive for capture." The soldier nodded and adjusted his equipment.

Kumonga stopped suddenly, sensing a grand opportunity to trap more people. The humans tried everything in their power to get off the street, some driving their vehicles onto the sidewalks and running over pedestrians who were also fleeing in terror. Others tried running away but were either hit by oncoming traffic or pushed aside by the chaotic crowds on either side of the road.

One middle-aged woman got out of her car, slammed the door and began to run but couldn't. She turned around and discovered that her dress was caught in the door. Tugging frantically, she tried to pull it loose but it wouldn't give. In terror, she looked up, screaming as the giant spider crept ever closer. With another spray of silk, Kumonga sealed the fleeing masses in place. Unable to move, others began to scream as they awaited their fate.

_Albuquerque_

By 4:30 A.M. the next morning, the Mysterian contingent of the Space Force Directive had long since passed through the city and, as they had done to every other concentration of humanity, left it in ruins. However, their job wasn't finished just yet. Two Mysterian saucers flew through the air at top speed, one carrying a hydrogen bomb. Their mission: release the last known specimens of Black Scorpion from their resting place deep within the Earth.

"Captain," radioed the alien manning the controls that would deliver the bomb. "Coordinates are set and launch time will be in three minutes."

"Excellent," replied his commander. "Are we at a speed fast enough to escape the blast?"

"Yes, sir. It should miss us by ten miles. We will be releasing the bomb after we pass the target zone as you ordered."

"Good. I just hope this doesn't turn out to be just a fossil dig."

"Oh, no sir!" piped up a Mysterian at the main computer. "The probes that were sent down there last month confirm the creatures are still alive. They have been hibernating in those underground caves since they were sealed up millions of years ago. A group of them were released accidentally on the southern end of the tunnel strip decades ago in Mexico. Luckily, it did not affect the ones in the northern strip."

"Two minutes to launch time," the bombardier advised.

"Maintain speed and drop on the mark," the Captain ordered. "Also, go ahead and send the Xians a map of the area we have left for the creatures to destroy. Make sure you tell them it is a restricted zone for their army."

The saucers flew over their target in the blink of an eye. A few seconds later, the faint sound of their passage followed. Miles away, one of the ships fired a computer-guided rocket behind them. When the nuclear bomb hit, it created an incredible shockwave that shook the ground for 70 miles in all directions. Dirt and rock on the immediate surface disappeared in the intense explosion. What was left of Albuquerque was obliterated from the face of the Earth. When the dust and smoke finally cleared, it resembled the Sahara Desert. In the middle of this now desolate landscape was a gigantic crater, 300 feet wide and so deep that the bottom was shrouded in darkness.

A cacophony of scuttling and rustling could be heard in the bowels of the hole, growing louder and louder as the now awakened creatures raced toward the surface. A hideous roar came from the mouth of the first Black Scorpion to breathe in the night air. It snapped its claws in the first moonlight it had seen for millions of years as its brethren raced out over the land by the hundreds.

_Houston_

Houston was hot and humid as usual so most of the populace stayed within its air-conditioned confines, whether offices, stores, restaurants or at home in apartments and suburban houses, watching the news concerning the destruction of San Diego the day before. Now, there was new information coming in about Phoenix being attacked. Few realized that a Xian ship was flying overhead until there was a brilliant flash of light.

Inside one apartment building fifteen floors up, a couple sat on their living room couch watching television. When their eyes had adjusted, they discovered that the light had disappeared. Looking out their balcony doors, two large brown eyes stared back at them. Too frightened to scream, they watched in horror as the pug-nosed beast cocked its head in interest at them, flopped its ears forward and growled. It then turned away and bent down out of sight. The man and woman were breathless with fright and had no idea where such an enormous thing could have gone.

The room violently shifted to one side and then back again, sending everything not bolted down sliding and crashing into the walls, including the couple. Now lying on the floor, the man could see from the balcony that the building was tipping over and rushing toward the neighboring residential center. The earth beneath it having been dug out, it collapsed onto the other structures, creating mass destruction. The ground began to shift again and the street burst upward, knocking surrounding buildings off their foundations and cars toppling onto one another. A hill quickly appeared and then gave way to the monster underneath it. With a roar, Baragon emerged and started his rampage.

"What in the name of -?" an old butcher exclaimed as he stepped outside his small shop to investigate what felt like an earthquake.

At the far end of the city, he caught a glimpse of Baragon's rear end slowly passing behind a wall of buildings. The man's face turned white and his jaw dropped in utter shock and fear. Suddenly, a crash from behind nearly threw him off his feet. A few hundred meters away stood a huge dinosaur about 90 meters in height, with gray-green skin and a row of small plates protruding the length of its back.

Before the man could even get words out of his mouth, his eyes followed the series of blue flashes among the bony ridges. The monster turned its head directly toward him, opened its mouth and fired a stream of blazing hot radioactive energy. The entire street went up in a wall of flame as Godzilla Junior roared over the results.

Baragon blew a stream of fire from his maw along an entire block, blasting several buildings apart while in another area, Godzilla Junior ripped through a hotel and brought his giant feet down on the parking lot, crushing most of the cars. Rearing his head back with a roar, he let loose another atomic blast which danced its way across the cityscape, turning everything in its path into fiery rubble. The Xian commander of the spaceship GAMMA telepathically signaled for one of his officers.

"Relay a message to the Mysterians. Inform them that they may begin placing their domes at will." The soldier departed through the sliding doors of the bridge as his commander turned back to the computer readings flashing on the wall. Everything was going as planned.

"Mister President, they have attacked Houston!" shouted a military officer as he entered the Pentagon War Room. A four-star General turned a stern face to his Commander-in-Chief.

"Sir. We have two-thirds of our nation's forces trying to hold these guys off in San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Kansas City and God knows where else. I don't think we will be able to muster a respectable front to protect the east coast if we sacrifice any more troops. We're losing as it is! It would be suicide to continue to fight for what has already been lost."

"General Goodwin, you're the last person I would have expected to hear that from," the President replied solemnly.

"I'm just being realistic! Without the help of our allies or the U.N., we can only hope to win this thing with a secure capital and sufficient military force. We must try and save what we still have." Several other military and political officials slowly nodded in agreement. "We have lost the West Coast and are quickly losing other states. If they push us any further toward the Atlantic, we're doomed." The President lowered his head with a deep sigh. He wanted nothing more than to nuke these aliens.

"No, Mister President. We can't afford to do that, not in a population center," the Vice President said quickly, reading his face. The Chief looked up at him knowingly.

Next time I won't suggest that my best friend run for Vice President he thought to himself. He lowered his head again. If there is a next time... "Then all we can hope to do is evacuate everyone in the remaining cities," the President decided. The Secretary of Homeland Security shrugged his shoulders.

"If we can evacuate them quickly enough. It could take as much as a week to clear out one city. And at the rate these aliens are moving, any efforts will likely be futile. We're probably best off saving our resources for the big fight."

"And let all those people die? People who I swore to protect? We have done almost nothing for them so far!"

"We haven't been able to, sir. You know that. We're shot down before we can even enter a city. We're helpless, Mister President," the Chief of Staff reminded him. "The most we can hope to do now is protect those areas still under our control. People caught in the way of the alien's advance will simply be considered regrettable casualties." The President fell back into his seat with another sigh.

The Secretary of Defense realized that the Commander-in-Chief would definitely bear watching. The country had already wasted a great deal of military resources with his insistence that troops be diverted from the front lines to overseeing civilian evacuations. The Homeland Security chief had asked when they were alone, "What are we supposed to do with them if we do get them out of there?" There was no regret in either his or any of the other Advocates' assessment of the situation. This was war, pure and simple. How many of those 'regrettable casualties' had been standing on rooftops in California actually WELCOMING the aliens when they first appeared? There had no doubt been more than one National Guardsman who shot a long-haired hippy type during such demonstrations.

_The Advocates_

In Washington, once more America cursed under its collective breath at its inability to stop the alien invaders. It was then that the Secretary of Defense glanced over at General Goodwin who nodded. He slipped out of the Pentagon War Room to make a phone call to Grovers Mill. Luckily, far-sighted military leaders and their science associates had seen fit to properly investigate one of the Martian space craft that had tried a similar invasion in 1953.

They were quite correct in thinking that it might come in handy some day, thus sufficient funding was arranged for research on its technology and operation. It was an easy matter for the government to cover up the attack and give the tiny New Jersey town its very own 'Area 51', although it was designated as a nuclear waste site to keep the public at bay. Beneath a fenced-in meadow was a vast underground hangar where the craft had been minutely analyzed. 'Selective amnesia' was induced via strategically released drugs whereby the public did not recall the United States having ever been attacked by the Martians. The nation soon had other concerns, such as Korea, Russia and the Cuban missile crisis. Flying saucers were quickly relegated to the fantasy realm of television and motion pictures but true to government form, extensive records were available for the Advocates to come upon, thanks to their high-level connections. As a result, Grovers Mill became one of their many clandestine 'resources'.

When the alien's invasion of the United States first began, there were others besides the White House staff who keenly studied the Directive's actions and movements across the country. From the very beginning, it appeared that America would be unable to stand up to their vast military forces and weapons.

As far back as the '60s with the advent of President Lyndon Johnson's 'Great Society' programs, some Americans began worrying that the U.S. was becoming a more socialistic country with its many welfare programs, at the expense of increased taxes to support them. They were taking from the rich to give to the poor, undermining free enterprise and a lot of other things the country had come to stand for. Mainly, this largesse took away from military expenditures and now everyone would pay the price.

Since 1965, America's profile was drastically altered, particularly among the less advantaged. Representatives in the House and Senate, as well as in various state legislatures, voted against increased social programs when they would take funding away from the country's infrastructure or further weaken the nation in any way. Since people with like ideas tend to come together, a secret group formed to fret over these developments but it went beyond the 'talk' stage as very few could ever imagine. These 'Advocates', as they called themselves, figured they had better be ready to do something about it if the country truly went in the 'wrong direction'.

There were a number of more visible mainstream groups, such as the Minutemen and their fence-building out west to stem the tide of illegal immigrants from Mexico. The Advocates were highly successful individuals in positions of power, from businessmen who funded arms and technology to military leaders who could bring the armed forces into play if need be. They also happened to be the 'cream of the crop' so they often were elected to leadership positions. Since many were politicians, they could present their points of view in well-couched turns of phrase, often moderating the more socialistic leanings of their colleagues.

Things didn't seem really bad until the so-called 'lost' civilizations formed the United World Powers and aliens invaded the United States in force. The Simeons joining the alliance was almost like opening the border to Mexico, another sore spot with the Advocates who saw the country as being 'soft' on illegal immigration. There also seemed to be something 'elitist' about Mu and Seatopia since they had chosen not to associate with the rest of the world for so long, being 'foreign' or 'alien' in that respect. As well, their culture was quite different, no doubt socialistic, as well as being ruled by monarchs.

Although the U.S. appeared to be out-gunned, judging from what happened in California, the President did send in the military but the welfare of the average citizen was as much a priority as slowing the Directive's advance. He also seemed quite capable of accepting the likes of the Simeons as allies and equals. At least the Secretary of Defense had the best interests of the country in mind and would try to steer things in a better direction.

_Alien Alliance_

Aboard the Xian mothership, a communiqué with an ID code identifying it as Kilaak in origin sounded on the main bridge.

"Incoming transmission from the Kilaaks, Controller," one of the drone technicians announced. Ken'trus reacted with surprise but a thought suddenly occurred to him.

Maybe they somehow figured out that we sabotaged their control of King Ghidorah... He looked at the screen curiously but remained skeptical, letting it flash for a bit before finally pressing a button to open the channel. A split image showing King Karkaru and Fumio Subo appeared on the main screen.

"So... We have the respective leaders of the Kilaaks and the Nebulans. What do you want and more importantly, why should I care?" Ken'trus addressed them in a rather blasé manner.

"We are addressing the Controller of Planet X, are we not?" King Karkaru asked curtly.

"Maybe. Who wants to know?"

"We do." Fumio stared at him with inquisitive eyes, tilting his head sideways slightly.

"I am and what of it?"

"We wish to address you in regards to a mutual threat," the Nebulan explained.

"Oh really? And what might that be?"

"Gudis," Karkaru finally spoke, not really wanting to converse with a lifeform that he felt was inferior. He would be happy to let Fumio handle this rather distasteful proposal entirely.

"And what of the Gudis?"

"Regardless of our various differences, motivations or animosity, the simple fact is this: If Gudis is allowed to grow too powerful, we shall all be destroyed and all of our various plans and operations to take over the Earth will not matter."

"So your point is what exactly?"

"For just this once, we form an alliance and bring forth a combined fleet of all our ships - Nebulan, Kilaak, Xian, Mysterian and Viran to kill the Gudis once and for all," Fumio explained.

"Sounds good in theory but again: Why should the Xians align with you?" Ken'trus asked.

"If we stand by and do nothing, the Gudis will surely kill us all. Like Ghidorah, he is a planet killer. Once he slaughters everything and everyone and drains the planet of its vital resources, the Earth will be of no use to any of us.

"Now we have a chance to prevent that from happening. Never before have so many races gathered in such close proximity as we are now and no such army has ever brought the magnitude of firepower available to bear on this creature. Likewise, Gudis has never faced such a force that we know of." Ken'trus seemed lost in thought for the moment but Fumio could see that he was at least considering it.

"Maybe the Space Force Directive has its own plans to deal with the Gudis?" Ken'trus suggested.

"Perhaps so. But why take the chance that alone, you may not be strong enough to stop him? We are not. That is why we are addressing you now," Fumio said confidently. "And once Gudis has been destroyed, we go our separate ways, resume our various activities and after that... may the best species win," he concluded.

"I see... And just out of curiosity, why have you come to me?"

"Simple. The Virans are too untrusting and we know that they would never even respond to a transmission from us. And based on what we have heard about King Koban, trying to open a dialogue with that deranged maniac would be utterly pointless. I am amazed that you managed such a thing yourself. In the end, you were the logical choice," Fumio complimented the Controller.

"I am good at that, it seems," Ken'trus gloated as Karkaru rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"That, and considering the battle that took place between our various forces in Earth's orbit, we had a feeling that he would be less than... agreeable," Fumio added.

"Indeed... And with that in mind, you realize that it will not be easy for me to persuade them - should I choose to accept this proposal," Ken'trus reminded him.

"But I am sure you would succeed," Fumio smiled in assurance. Ken'trus knew that the Nebulan was just trying to butter him up, not that it mattered to him either way. After a few moments of silence, the Xian cracked a smile.

"I will present your plan to them but understand this," he started to say as his pleasant expression quickly disappeared. "If you perpetrate any kind of treachery, we WILL wipe you out," Ken'trus concluded sternly. Fumio's calm outward visage did not change as Karkaru turned away, chuckling slightly at the proceedings.

"Ah, yes... It would be the high and mighty Kilaak that would laugh off my warning, believing themselves to be greater and superior in every way to any other race in existence. So vast in numbers and power that they need not fear anything in the known universes," Ken'trus mocked sarcastically.

"Our dominance is not a matter of opinion but a simple statement of fact. My kind have existed, thrived and conquered before your race was even born, even before the planet that you call home formed amidst the stars. It is WE that other races fear, we that other so-called empires can only hope to emulate. Our history speaks for itself and the Iron Empire is the greatest in the cosmos with no equal."

"And yet, despite that superiority, here you are - groveling to me for help," Ken'trus grinned insultingly at the monarch.

"I grovel to no one, Xian!" Karkaru rumbled.

"Then why is the Nebulan doing all the talking? Is he the one calling all the shots?" Ken'trus continued his teasing.

"Do not test me, Ken'trus, or you may find that it is your own arrogance that shall be your undoing," Karkaru warned. The Controller's jovial countenance faded as the two alien leaders glared at one another, unflinching.

"Of all the races that I have encountered, I will be the first to admit that you are a force to be feared and respected... But do not suffer from the delusion for even an instant that I fear you, Kilaak!" Ken'trus boldly stated.

"Let us not bicker amongst ourselves, for such actions shall not resolve the problem that currently lies before us. Agreed?" Fumio interjected to diffuse the tense standoff. After a few moments, Ken'trus agreed, instantly changing his hate-filled stare to one of amusement. Karkaru's expression did not change.

"Excellent! Please contact us at your earliest convenience after you have reached an agreement with them," Fumio concluded with a polite smile as he shut of the feed.

"Are you insane?" King Koban shrieked in disbelief from the North Pole base.

"You know, coming from you, that sounds rather funny..." Ken'trus noted as he tilted his head sideways.

"I can not believe that you would even talk with them in the first place, let alone agree with their plan! You expect me to go along with this, especially after they massacred one of my best fleets? They cannot be trusted!"

"I am not suggesting that we do but what they say is true nonetheless. Gudis is going to become an issue sooner or later. A combined offensive now would mean less wear and tear on our forces in the long run than if we tried to take him on ourselves." Koban seemed to stew indignantly as he paced back and forth in front of the communications desk, intermittently looking back at Ken'trus and then away as he turned the idea over in his head.

"Let's say this succeeds... What will prevent them from turning on us?" Koban asked suspiciously.

"Truthfully, the forces we would each lose would be negligible when you consider the combined whole but that is only if each of us provide ships for the mission. I think we should try it." Koban paced the floor a few more times.

"Very well... But one of us needs to get in touch with the Virans and explain the situation," he finally said, stopping and turning back to the view screen.

_Spirit Mothra_

At the ruins of Akita, the sky was covered with a thick blanket of clouds, smoke and dust. Although it was now daytime, it was as dark as night. Mothra Virgo panted from her intense brawling with Death Ghidorah who was also exhausted from their violent fight. His necks slithered around, awaiting his enemy's next move.

Mothra managed to muster enough strength to fly into the air, despite her injuries from being smote against the ground. Death Ghidorah released a barrage of fiery gout, some of which managed to hit her, burning through her once-beautiful wings. The insect squealed in agony as she flopped back to the ground. Smoke rose from her body as Death Ghidorah advanced toward her. The Elias witnessed this and gasped nervously as they watched the demonic dragon. Even Belvera grew rigid at the sight.

"Mothra, get up and fly away!" cried Lora, gripping Moll's shoulder nervously.

"Death Ghidorah, stay away from her!" Moll shouted as she stood up on Fairy. The other Elias and the Doubijin turned toward her in surprise. "Your evil reign here has ended! Take yourself away from this planet at once, Death Ghidorah," she muttered.

"Or perhaps I should address Gudis, the creature who is actually Death Ghidorah's master. You think you can take over this planet? How arrogant of you! Arrogance will bring your demise quicker than you believe, for you underestimate the power of this planet and its lifeforms. True, you are powerful but every power has its limits and you are no doubt in that category!" Lora stared at her in amazement. She had wisdom that gave her insight into what actions to take and how to take them. The wise woman also possessed the love to protect her planet and the courage to stand up against evil and address it face to face. Moll closed her eyes and waited for an answer from the terrible infestation. She soon heard an eerie, evil voice echoing in her head.

You are brave, tiny Earth creature, but that will not allow you to defeat me! Humanity, the Elias and Mothra will fall to my power. Your untimely destruction is inevitable! Moll clenched her fists angrily at Gudis' response.

"We will resist you with every last ounce of strength we possess! We will prevail against you as we did so many millions of years ago. Do you grow old and forgetful, Gudis? Or do you ignore the fact that you can not absorb Mothra or her energy? Mothra and the Elias will stand against you! Even if we lose, we will make your victory taste as bitter as defeat!" Moll focused her concentration, attempting to listen for a response but she didn't receive one, possibly striking curiosity and doubt within the terrible mutation's heart of stone and death.

"Coward! He uses puppets and his mind control abilities to do his dirty work," she muttered sarcastically. Suddenly, everyone's attention was attracted toward the battlefield by the quaking cry of Biollante who was re-entering the confrontation. Her giant body lifted its roots and bulldozed its way toward Death Ghidorah who was turning around to watch the Earth Spirit. Out of nowhere, several tendrils gripped his legs and pulled, causing him to topple onto his side. The three-headed dragon quickly amputated the vines with his mouths and tossed their remains back at Biollante.

While this was taking place, Mothra managed to get up and grasp onto his tail. With all her might, the insect fanned her wings at amazing speed and hoisted him off the ground, swing around and throw his bulk into a mountainside. Soil and rock tumbled down and enveloped Death Ghidorah's entire body but that merely bruised and scratched him. He burst from the debris and jumped back into the fray.

To prevent Biollante from intervening, Ghidorah sent out a powerful shock wave that slammed into her. Since her roots were not embedded, it knocked her over, causing a great thud to echo across the area. Immediately, multiple blasts of energy tore into Death Ghidorah's back, causing explosions and smoke to shimmer in the air. He swung around and found Mothra diving down towards him. Instead of crashing into him, she confronted the dragon and slashed at his faces with her claws, much to his surprise. He had no idea that such strength and violence could come from an insect. Ghidorah didn't take time to think about it and bit into one of Mothra's writhing legs and tugged viciously to tear it from her body. She squealed in immense agony as greenish blood spurted from the wound. The deity could feel her body weakening exponentially but she persisted in her attack and dug her claws deep into Death Ghidorah's center face, managing to completely claw both of the eyes out and forcing him to wail in pain and hatred while backing away.

Mothra raised her bloody claws and screeched angrily, flying at Death Ghidorah who tried to retreat but could not as she placed her mandibles around one of his cranial horns and tugged at it violently. The bone gave way and shattered. More blood spouted as the wound widened. Suddenly, in one quick surge of energy, both monsters released blasts at each other simultaneously. Mothra's triple forehead beams and Death Ghidorah's trio of lava gout rays interlocked in mid-air. A great explosion erupted with such force that it threw both monsters backward several hundred meters. Even Biollante, who was behind Death Ghidorah, felt the destructive effects. The Elias and Doubijin screamed fearfully as the great shockwave hit the air and struggled to hold onto their steeds until the turbulence finally subsided.

"Where is Mothra? Is she okay?" hollered Lora as she re-seated herself on Fairy.

"Yes, she's still alive but just barely. Biollante's in pretty bad condition as well," Moll informed her.

"Death Ghidorah looks quite famished. That is a good thing, though," noted Belvera with a hint of courage in her voice. As the Elias exchanged notes about how the battle was proceeding, Zirkon turned to concentrate his gaze on the far eastern horizon. He could feel a familiar presence coming to assist Mothra and Biollante. It was no doubt Battra.

"Battra!" he cried in relief.

"He has flown all the way from America! Mothra must have called to him telepathically," Oberon added as he put his hand on Terius' shoulder with great hope in his eyes. The winged avenger slowly flew by them and hovered over Death Ghidorah's resting place before swooping down and bombarding the dragon with his prism rays. Explosions erupted and Death Ghidorah barely managed to gather enough strength to roar out in pain. Quickly, Battra slammed his body into him. As he continued to crash on top of him, Battra panted as he was very weak from his battles and rapid journey to Japan. This was just enough to allow Death Ghidorah to subdue him. The demon threw the Black Moth away from him and before Battra could retaliate, he concentrated all of his lava beams into one great energy blast. Its power was so great that Battra was completely incinerated by the intense fire and explosion. As the smoke cleared, all that remained of him were tiny particles of bright crimson energy and the lepidopteron's angry roar of retribution as it echoed out of existence. Despite the fact that Battra's body was decimated, his spirit remained as powerful as ever.

"Battra..." the Doubijin muttered in horror as they watched Death Ghidorah gloat over his victory.

"This is not the end! Did you three forget our plan?" Moll reminded them. "We have only one last resort. If this does not work, then the world is doomed." Moll and Lora stood upon Fairy and glanced at Belvera who was as grouchy as ever and remained sitting. "Belvera, we need you. I know that you hate singing but frankly, I don't care at the moment. You are part of the Elias Triangle and Mothra requires your support." Belvera groaned that she had never really sang before in her life and only hoped that it would help Mothra. As the Elias prepared to sing Mothra's song, the Doubijin joined hands and chanted Battra's name in their ancient dialect. The Elias joined hands and forming a triangle, began to sing.

_Mahara Mothra _

_MOSURA... MOSURA... _

_Mosura ya Mosura _

_Doungan kasakuyan_

_Indou muu _

_Rusuto uiraadoa_

_Hamba hambamuyan _

_Randa banunradan _

_Tounjukanraa _

_Kasaku yaanmu!_

Moll and Lora turned and smiled at Belvera who beautifully harmonized with their voices. She nodded before returning her gaze to the battlefield and courageously prepared to sing the second chorus of the song. The Elias and Doubijin were glowing so brightly that a ray of incandescence was cast upon the entire area, like a great star shining in the heavens.

Mothra's theme echoed across the sky and resonated around the world, giving hope to all who heard it. Somehow, the mysterious powers of the Elias Triangle allowed this, informing everyone that Mothra was not defeated and that she was going to once again stand against evil.

As the song faded away, Mothra rose into the air, both her and Battra's spirits flying at each other to merge. A bright light shimmered across the area, blinding Death Ghidorah's dark evil eyes. When the luminescence diminished, an entirely new Mothra stood before them with the features of Battra and Virgo. Her wings and body had darkened to a grayish-charcoal color and Mothra's usual markings, as well as some of Battra's, painted her wings. Her beautiful sapphire eyes were a peculiar purple hue. The insect's even larger body hovered above Death Ghidorah and a bright yellow energy field shimmered around her as she released a low guttural screech.

"Spirit Mothra..." whispered Moll as this new Mothra's beauty glistened in her eyes when she turned to smile at Lora who was confused but then realized that this was the new Mothra's sub-name. Hope thrilled the tiny fairies and they were confident that Death Ghidorah could now be overcome as Mothra flew high into the darkened clouds and then jolted back downward. She slammed into Death Ghidorah's body at Mach 17, which was so forceful that it flung him to the ground. This Mothra was so fast that his remaining eyes could not keep up with her. He then used the mental powers that Gudis had granted him to remain calm and sensed Mothra's presence lurking nearby. Ghidorah quickly swung around and bit into her neck and tore at her flesh. This surprised the insect as she had no idea that Death Ghidorah still had this much resistance in him.

Ever more viciously he ripped at her. Blood squirted out of her wounds and Mothra released a screech that sounded like a combination of Virgo's voice and Battra's. Instantly, energy crackled within her wings. Two electrical forms of energy streaked down and gathered into a sizzling ball in front of her face. Suddenly, a spiraling surge known as the Spirit Blast burst forth. The beam slammed into Death Ghidorah's chest with such force that it penetrated his body and came out his back. Chunks of his body and innards exploded as it sliced through. A blood-chilling squeal came from the demon as he collapsed to the ground. A great spasm of pain erupted in his body as all his organs shut down. At long last, the terrible beast that threatened the world was dead.


	11. Impending Doom

Professor Erickson flew over the battlefield in a helicopter, monitoring the historic battle in absolute awe. Despite his intense study of Mothra, he did not realize that she could possess this much power.

"Erickson to Japanese Defense Force Headquarters. Mothra is victorious. Death Ghidorah is dead," he reported.

"What is the status of Akita?" the radio operator inquired. He glanced out the window at the smoldering remains of the city.

"Akita is completely destroyed. The city is unsalvageable," he replied and signed off. "Take me back to my lab. I have work to do. I must complete my experiment," he ordered the pilot.

Mothra flew down and hovered above Biollante who was still lying on the ground, pretty much in a lifeless state. Her eyes opened and she faintly saw the insect's new version.

"Well done, my sister. You have defeated him Biollante faintly congratulated her. I see you are okay. What has happened to Battra? I saw him fly in. Is he dead?"

"No. Battra lives within me. He has fused with me."

"Leave me. I am wasting your time, my friend. Go and protect the world. My assistance is now complete, for I am dying." choked Biollante as she turned her head away from the insect goddess' gaze.

"Nonsense! You will live on within me. I am giving you the choice. You can either go back to the Earth as a whole or entrust part of your spirit to live on in me." Biollante pondered for a moment and then gave Mothra a slight smile.

"If it will be of assistance, then I shall imbue some of my spirit within you." Mothra nodded and landed on top of Biollante's battered body. Both kaiju began to glow and soon, one monster remained within the luminescence. Biollante's spores floated around Mothra and entered her body. An even brighter light flashed, her wings extended and her antennae became longer and more feathery. When the light diminished, Mothra's body was altered even more. Now she resembled more of Biollante's green color, mixed in with Battra and Mothra Virgo's characteristics. As promised, part of Biollante's spirit went back into the Earth and the other half now dwelt in the new Mothra.

"Queen Mothra," Moll whispered as she bowed her head respectfully. One by one, the Doubijin and Elias did likewise. Their guardians were fused as one, finally reuniting the Elias and Doubijin. It was complete. Suddenly, Belvera fell over and collapsed into Oberon's arms. She was out cold and lifeless.

"Belvera!" cried Lora as both Fairy and Garu Garu landed, allowing Moll and her sister to help her. As Moll went to check her pulse, the mysterious dark woman rose from Oberon's lap and gazed into her eyes. Belvera wore a demonic smile on her face and her pupils were dilated and red.

"Belvera, are you okay?" Suddenly, she jumped off Garu Garu and preformed several flips in mid-air, landing behind Moll. She pulled out her sword and inserted her Pendant of Courage into the handle. A purple aura formed around it and Belvera assumed an attack position.

"Everyone stand back! She is possessed by the Gudis once again. I can feel it!" hollered Moll. The Fairy of Wisdom pulled her own sword and inserted her pendant. Both women engaged in combat, their weapons striking one another violently in a loud clang of metal. Moll did a back flip and landed on a rock above Belvera and jumped down swiftly, slamming into her sister's side and tossing her backward into the dirt. Belvera quickly recovered and charged at Moll with her sword. Before being pierced, Moll used her blade to block the thrust.

"Foolish fairy! You will not stand a chance against me..." said Gudis through Belvera.

"Release her!" demanded Moll as she threw her sword to the ground. "I will not kill my own sister!"

"Very well... We can play this game, pathetic one." Belvera then threw her sword aside as well, standing up and laughing with what seemed to contain a bit of Gudis' evil cackle. "Now you will feel my true power!" Belvera's eyes shined brightly and suddenly, energy blasts burst forth. Moll was slow to react and the two kinetic blasts slammed into her abdomen, smiting her into a rock behind her.

"Moll!" cried Lora as she prepared her sword to battle Belvera. The demonic woman turned around at the sound of her younger sister's fearful cry.

"You will no doubt be a pushover, young one..." chuckled Gudis.

"I will show you 'pushover'!" shouted Lora as she jumped at Belvera and slammed her boot into her face. Belvera tumbled across the dusty landscape and hit a piece of broken concrete. Zirkon nervously glanced over at Oberon and Terius.

"Are we going to help them?" he angrily asked.

"This is a problem having to do with the Elias. It is not of our concern," Terius mumbled as he walked away from the battle. Zirkon rolled his eyes and went to help his lover. Lora looked aside and noticed him.

"Zirkon, do not fight! I don't want to lose you!" she cried.

"Does it look like I want to lose you either?" he asked, kissing her face. In their affectionate distraction, Belvera managed to rip the sword out of Lora's hand and toss it away. Defenseless, Belvera jumped into the air and slammed her foot into her side. Lora screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground. Zirkon came to her aid and punched the dark woman in the back and tripped her. However, Belvera easily used her enhanced telekinesis to throw the male fairy into Lora.

"You fairies are pathetic! Now all of you will die!" Belvera again released two energy blasts from her eyes toward Lora and Zirkon but Moll jumped in the way and threw out her hands, the beams slamming into her palms and pushing her backwards. She managed to stand her ground and held the energy in place with her telekinesis so it wouldn't injure the young lovers.

"Well, well, well... I see some strength in you, Moll. But it will not last long," Gudis cackled through Belvera. Moll smirked and began to gather Belvera's energy within a sphere. This pained both fairies until it gave way and exploded, tossing both of them backward onto the ground. Belvera recovered quickly with her new strength and advanced toward Moll. Lora tried to intervene but was easily knocked aside.

"It is time for you to die, Lora. I must rid myself of your annoyance," muttered Gudis as Belvera snatched her sword with her mental powers. As she went to stab her, Zirkon suddenly jumped in the way, the blade going deep into his chest. Belvera shoved it deeper but her moment of sadism was cut short when Lora jumped up, crying out his name. The loving fairy slammed her foot into Belvera's abdomen, tossing her backwards and causing her to hit her head on a rock. With Belvera down, Lora ran over to Zirkon with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Zirkon!" she cried as she removed the blade from his body. He had lost a lot of blood and was gasping for air. "Hold on! Don't die!" she whimpered as she hugged him.

"L... Lora...," he whispered as he put his hand on her soft pale face. "You must... help your sisters defeat this evil plaguing the planet. Help Belvera come back to her senses. I am gone and worthless to protect you now..." Tears streaked down Lora's cheeks as she collapsed over his dwindling body.

"I... love you!" she whispered, crying sporadically.

"I love you as well..." He gave Lora one final kiss, seconds before his eyes closed and his hand became cold to her touch. Zirkon, the Doubijin of Brotherhood, was dead. Lora remained beside his lifeless body, sobbing uncontrollably and hoping that some miracle would occur and he would come back to her.

The night seemed to wear on bleakly as darkness engulfed the tiny priestess who sat by the crystallizing form of her lover. Lora tried to use her powers to keep the hardening effect of a fairy's death away but it eventually overtook the tiny male. She broke out in a mournful sob that echoed across the wasted land. Suddenly, she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder and her teary eyes glanced up to see Moll's bright and kind face staring back at her. Lora turned away and buried her face on Zirkon's chest.

"Lora, I am going to need you. You can't be sentimental forever, my sister..."

"Yes, I can!" she retorted. "How could this happen? Zirkon is dead! My world is as bleak as I have ever imagined. How can I come back to normality?"

"Be happy that it is not you who is dead. He loved you and risked his life for you." Lora bit her lip at Moll's words and continued to stare at Zirkon's face. She felt the tears trickling down her cheeks even moreso now. "Did you not hear what Zirkon asked of you?" Moll reminded her. Lora gave her a blank look and did not know what she was talking about. "'You must help your sisters defeat this evil plaguing the planet and help Belvera come back to her senses'," Moll quoted. Lora nodded but sank back down as if she still had no will to live. Moll knelt and wrapped her arms around her, holding back the tears that nagged at her own eyes.

"We all go through these times but we can not let it bring us down. We are still the Elias of Mothra and we have a job to do. Protecting the planet alongside Mothra is our solemn duty. Would you give that up and let the entire world fall to ruin under the control of the Mysterians, Xians, Kilaaks, or even Gudis himself? We can not, we will not, not while I am still alive. That is why I need you, Lora," explained Moll with such fluency that it seemed to wipe away her sadness.

Suddenly, a ray danced across the air and hit Moll in the side, throwing her to the ground. Lora saw Belvera with her evil Gudis smile coming toward them. The Fairy of Love stood up in defense of her sister.

"Stay away, Gudis! I am warning you! You will see a side of me that no one ever has!" screamed Lora as she held out her fist.

"My, my! Do I sense anger within this priestess? Completely unusual for the Elias of Mothra, wouldn't you say?" Gudis cackled sarcastically as Belvera wagged her finger in Lora's face.

"You better stay away from me or I will give you a fight to remember!" Lora hollered, grabbing her sword off the ground. Belvera jumped closer and their weapons clashed. The loving fairy swung her foot around and tripped Belvera. As the dark one fell, she raised her hands and threw them outward, releasing a wave of telekinetic energy that tossed Belvera back onto the dusty landscape.

"That was for Moll!" Lora then took Belvera in the grip of her telekinesis and threw her up against a rock, head first. She fell to the sand. "That was for Zirkon!" she screamed as her voice choked up with sadness. Yet again, Belvera rose to her feet and jumped toward Lora and pinned her down. The dark fairy then put her hands around her neck and began to squeeze the life out of her.

"Bad temper, I see. Well, we won't have to deal with that any longer when you are dead!" roared Gudis, his voice seeming to crackle through Belvera's. Lora struggled and tried to fight her away but she was too strong. Moll, still dazed, got up and stumbled over to a stone to support herself. She noticed Belvera trying to kill Lora so she tried to think of something before it was too late. Suddenly, she spotted the Seal of Elias on the ground by the dormant Garu Garu. She couldn't get to it without Belvera attacking her but seconds later, a small insect flew through the air. It was Fairy Mothra who could sense Moll's need.

"Fairy!" hollered Moll as she pointed at Belvera. Fairy dove through the air and slammed directly into Belvera's backside, causing her to tumble over.

"Garu Garu!" yelled Belvera. Immediately, he flew up and engaged Fairy in a violent aerial brawl. Beams danced everywhere as the two steeds clashed. While Garu Garu kept Fairy away, Belvera went back to strangling Lora who was now weakened and helpless. This gave Moll the chance to grab the Seal of Elias. She closed her eyes and pointed it toward Belvera, unsure whether its power would kill or injure her but she had to do it. Moll opened her mind and activated the Seal which began to glow. A yellow ray burst forth and lanced into the fairy's body, throwing her into Garu Garu and knocking them both out. Moll immediately ran to Lora who was gasping for air and stricken with fear.

"It is okay. She is gone," Moll assured her as she put her hand on Lora's forehead, attempting to relieve her pain and terror. Suddenly, a shadow covered the entire area as Queen Mothra fluttered above them. The sky seemed to clear in her path. As Moll helped Lora to her feet, Belvera rose again, malice and evil shooting through her eyes as she glanced up at Mothra who gave her a slight glance with her gem-like eyes.

"Well, Mothra... I bet you are satisfied that you have defeated Death Ghidorah and managed to subdue this Elias puppet of mine, aren't you?" Gudis sneered sarcastically with Belvera's voice.

"Leave my daughter at once, you foul creature! I will not allow your control over her to last much longer."

"What makes you think you can get me away from her, Mothra? Are you going to use your 'wonder powers'? I warn you that I am not to be trifled with! You may have defeated Death Ghidorah but I am a whole different story, my dear!"

"You underestimate me as well, Gudis. Remember that Spirit Mothra defeated Death Ghidorah, not Queen Mothra. Also, you were defeated by a Mothra who was considerably less powerful than the Mothras of today!" she rumbled.

"We shall see..."

"Indeed we will. It is time you stopped being a coward. You and your puppets, Death Ghidorah, Belvera... What will you come up with next? Or are you actually going to fight a foe face to face this time?" Mothra's eyes gleamed in anger.

"You flatter yourself, Mothra. I am merely biding my time. True, I do use my puppets but I have also been fighting other creatures as well. You will be no different!"

"Will I? As I recall through my timeless memory of the Mothra heritage, you could not absorb or even withstand the energy of previous Mothras like you can most other creatures. Meaning that I will be quite different from any of your past opponents."

"So be it, deity of purity. I shall prove to you my true power!" hollered Gudis.

"And now, a brief demonstration." Mothra raised one of her claws, pinning Belvera to a rock with her telekinetic powers. "Leave my child at once, Gudis!"

"Belvera is mine! If I leave her, she will die!" Gudis stammered as Mothra's power pinned his actual body to a mountainside. What was happening to Belvera was also happening to Gudis.

"Leave and go back to the abyss!" growled Mothra as she made the field on Belvera even stronger. Gudis was feeling her pain as Mothra's words echoed in his mind, making him angrier. LEAVE HER AT ONCE, GUDIS! Mothra slammed Belvera against the rock. At that very moment, Gudis went through the mountain he was pinned against, buried amid tons of rocky debris. Belvera's face seemed to brighten as Gudis left her mind. In order to protect the priestess from any more mental occupations, Mothra sealed her mind from outside forces. Moll ran over to her and Lora walked over hesitantly, angry at her sister for killing her lover.

"Belvera, are you okay?" Moll frantically asked as she felt her forehead. The dark fairy's eyes opened dimly and glanced up at Moll who smiled at her and gave a little smile.

"What... what happened?" she stammered as she stood up with Moll's assistance.

"You are okay. That's good..." muttered Lora as she cast a dirty look at her.

"What's her problem?" Moll pointed to the crystallized body of Zirkon.

"While under the control of Gudis, you killed him," she explained, bowing her head. Belvera lowered hers also, feeling pity and guilt for what she had done. Suddenly, Mothra's telepathy resonated in the cool Hokkaido air.

Do not fret about your lost friend. Battra's spirit within me tells me that there is a way to revitalize him. It must wait however, for we have a world to rescue. When that is done, we can revive Zirkon. Mothra swooped up into the clouds and disappeared. As the Elias prepared to leave, Lora walked past Oberon and Terius who were whispering with each other next to a rock.

"I imagine that you two are proud?" Lora questioned them sarcastically.

"About what?" Terius retorted.

"About Zirkon. And his death." Her words caught them by surprise. They bit their tongues and didn't reply. "Yes, I know. Zirkon told me you two believed him to be inferior for showing friendship with us. Now that he is dead, that relieves you. The barbaric ignorance within the Doubijin hasn't waned, I see!" she screamed, grabbing Oberon's robe. Lora left them as the Elias and Doubijin got ready to depart on Fairy and Garu Garu. Moll glanced over at her sitting next to Zirkon's body, mourning for him. The Fairy of Wisdom decided to let Lora have another moment of sorrow before leaving.

"I will come back for you. Your brothers are sadistic children at heart. They are worthless! I will find a way to bring you back. Good bye..." Lora muttered as she kissed his crystallized forehead. The tiny fairy took one last glance at her lover and climbed onto Fairy. Soon, the Elias and Doubijin disappeared into the sky, leaving a dark silence to envelope the area surrounding Zirkon.

_Mana_

On the bridge of the Kilaak ship HELLRAISER, General Kulkan stared at the massive asteroid in orbit above the Earth. King Ghidorah would make two complete orbits around the globe before he broke free above the Arctic Circle and re-entered the atmosphere through the planet's magnetic North Pole which further endowed him with energies that only the creatures capable of handling them dared embrace. Kulkan nodded to one of the weapons operators who pressed a button on the console before him.

A single 'burner' probe was launched from the underside of the warship, shooting towards the meteor to drive itself into the cocoon, using the intense heat radiating off it to melt through the layers of rock and space debris. It sent back data it collected and quickly entered a massive hollow chamber. Shooting straight through the center, the instruments detected no signs of life. The probe plunged out the other side of the satellite with only minor scrapes from the rocky material. Kulkan felt an unnerving sensation as the information appeared on the wallscreen.

"What happened?" he demanded to know from nobody in particular. The Kilaak monitoring the probe had a baffled expression on his face.

"Sir... There is nothing in that meteor," he finally said. Kulkan felt the horrible, unnatural chill of fear tingle down his metallic spine.

"What are you talking about?" his voice quavered slightly.

"The probe... It only detected a slight magnetic and gravitic disturbance inside but besides that, no biological contact was ever made." Kulkan stared out at the meteor as the holes created by the drilling seemed to heal over with a crimson glow. The tomb of rock that should contain the most magnificent creature to ever live began to emanate a strange shade of green as it absorbed Mana.

"Just what have we gotten ourselves into?" Kulkan asked in amazement and terror as he watched the probe, its booster systems failing, jerk sideways, twist in half, shrink in on itself and burst into a billion shards of debris that were instantly assimilated onto the meteor.

A red sliver of energy slipped from a small crevice in the space rock. It twisted in on itself until it formed what appeared to be a talon that streaked through space at incredible speed, blazing past the HELLRAISER so fast that even its advanced energy sensors failed to notice it. On the face of the Moon, guided by the will of its owner, the scribe burned massive, demonic characters into its surface. They were words in a language only a gifted few could possibly hope to comprehend. It was one of great power that commanded respect. The mightiest civilization to yet exist had itself created this language long ago in their own prehistory. Only the Kilaaks and a few others could understand what the words said and how they served as the harbinger of death to all who stood in the way of the King of Terror.

On Infant Island, Mothra Virgo rested atop her extinct volcanic chamber and let out a long, tired chirp into the peaceful night sky, something which she managed to find comfort in during these turbulent times. Her great rainbow-hued wings brushed against either side of the mountain as slumber began to finally overtake her. A foreboding sense of terror registered itself at the edge of her subconscious. A tingling sensation seemed to break out along her antennae and wings. She turned her head, looking around her island sanctuary and the sea beyond. Mothra could sense that something was terribly wrong and chirped loudly, trying to flush out any hidden enemies but she did not see nor hear anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly, the entire area - sky, sea and land alike - became noticeably darker.

Sounds of pain and death overwhelmed the giant insect, causing her to spasm violently and nearly fall off of her perch. A sickening shade of red light seemed to envelope the pale luminescence of the Moon. Through her haze of mental anguish, Mothra looked up and saw that it had become a ball of boiling blood in the night sky. A cry of horror escaped her mandibles as she watched the swirling energy finish burning a symbol onto the surface. She suddenly realized what was happening as the ancient message slowly began to take shape.

Darkness. Terror. Both words seemed to go hand-in-hand within the Marianas Trench under the Pacific Ocean, the deepest abyss on the planet. The undersea canyon, created by the subduction of the Pacific plate underneath the Asian plate, is host to thousands of unknown animal species and undiscovered eco-systems. Most of them are quite small but others are truly gigantic. A series of undersea volcanos create a thick layer of soot and dust that insulates the bottom of the gorge, creating a heated habitat that hosts many strange creatures, all living, killing and breeding in the same manner as those high above them.

In an environment as hostile and unforgiving as this one, nobody would guess the trench to be what it truly was: a mass graveyard filled with the remains of ages-gone-by kings and other ancient royalty from the long lost civilization of Atlantis. At one end, what would appear to be small hills or sunken boats aligned in perfect rows manifests itself. The identity of these hills would remain a mystery until one got close enough to realize the rather disturbing truth. The series of bumps running parallel to each other and the canyon walls at the bottom of the world are actually the remains of hundreds of Gameras. They, save for one, had all died long ago during the Atlantean Gyaos wars, an event of civil unrest that would eventually lead to the fall of the many empires of Mu.

Near the end of the rows of worn-down shells, a single, untouched hill rested. It was different from the others in that it did not seem to be skeletonized. Hordes of sea creatures covered its true identity, making it indeterminable whether the being was alive or not. Suddenly, a glowing orb rose from the tombs near the front of the graveyard. It joined with others, all rising from the graves of the many kings and guardians of the Atlantean Empire. They converged on one another and struck down into the idle shell. Finally, with a brilliant flash of white light, darkness once more reclaimed the abyss, throwing the world into a pit of pure black.

Two amber eyes opened and a haunting, high pitched wail traveled through the canyon. It was the cry of Gamera. The gargantuan turtle sensed a serious drop in the levels of Mana around the planet. Two tusks seemed to glisten with the light of goodness in the creature's huge blinking eyes. Armored plates on Gamera's back that made up his shell began to clank against one another as the great beast rose from his eons-long slumber. The terrapin opened his maw and let out a mighty yawn before finally rising to both of his hind feet, filling his full 80-meter stature. Gamera stretched his bones and long-inactive muscles.

Suddenly, he sensed a chill run down his spine and no longer felt safe in the confines of the massive undersea canyon. Two brilliant flashes of light erupted from the back leg compartments of his shell. Gamera rose from the depths quickly, plunging through the insulating layer of soot and dust and entered the colder upper regions of the ocean. He struggled to adjust to the sudden change of temperature and the quickly declining pressure after the constant conditions far below.

Gamera finally reached the warmer waters closer to the surface. His reptilian head burst from the sea and using his back leg jets to hold him steady, gazed up into the night sky which seemed to have been painted in dark, horrible shades of red. He stared in awe and terror at the Moon which now held a message, a prophecy that only a few could hope to comprehend. It was from an ancient evil that would refuse to ever die. He had never had the displeasure of facing its composer but Gamera well knew of his reputation. He opened his jaws and let out a howl of sorrow for the world that now stood in the grasp of one of the deadliest creatures to ever exist, whose signature blazed upon the surface of the Moon for the entire Earth to tremble before.

_The cold winds of space carry me _

_Driven by the silent screams of horror from those who see _

_Civilizations crumble under my feet _

_The people fall in a bloody sheet _

_Their death gives me life _

_Their bravery gives them strife _

_The last thing they hear is my call _

_The words I say ensure their fall _

_I am the King of Terror _

_I am the Destroyer of Worlds _

_I am the Abomination of those still living _

_I become the god of those who discover my true path _

_I am King Ghidorah, may the universe suffer my wrath_

The symbols of the ancient language of the Empire began to glow once more. Blood-red flames rose from cracks in the Moon's surface, twisting and contorting in on themselves, forming the deathly shape of the Destroyer of Worlds. As King Ghidorah again rose from the dead, the triple-domed titan shone so brilliantly as to make Gamera and Mothra wonder if their previous battles against evil had been for naught.

_Hawaii_

At Ewa Beach, paradise beckoned. For Charlie Kappu, Hawaii was the last place on Earth where there were no worries. The islands had never suffered an alien or kaiju attack. There had been several sightings but the beasts had never bothered with the island chain. And that was just fine with Charlie.

He had been stationed on the U.S.S. ARIZONA when Pearl Harbor was bombed and he well remembered how many of his friends had died that day and how his invincible pride was scarred forever. It had been more than 60 years ago but the memory would never fade from the old man's mind. Neither would the countless number of Japanese soldiers he had killed during the rest of the war. He had even sat and cheered on the various monsters from the Land of the Rising Sun that laid waste to Japan, fueling his pride and feeling that they had also been harmed in some way by the Japs.

As he looked out across the beautiful Hawaiian beach, a long sigh escaped his mouth. It was filled with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the men with whom he had once served. He wouldn't be running or surfing with them ever again but at least he wasn't confined to a wheelchair or bed like most of his friends of similar age.

Charlie leaned back in his beach chair. The perfect sun beat down on the beach, not too hot but just warm enough to make for the ideal temperature. A slight breeze came in from the west. Years of experience told him that it brought the smell of a storm with it. Time to go Charlie thought as he sat up. A young Japanese couple came up while he packed his things.

"How do you get back to, ah, Pearl Harbor?" the man asked in heavily-accented English.

"Get away from me, you goddamn Japs!" Charlie replied instinctively but regretted it the moment it left his mouth. "I'm sorry. Please, I didn't mean anything by it." Years after the war, Charlie's hatred had withered to a mild racism but that was enough. The Japanese man was already leading his wife away, shaking his head angrily. The old man sighed once again, throwing his pack over his shoulders and reaching for his cane. He walked back to his pick-up and drove back to Honolulu.

Thunder struck somewhere in the city, causing a booming sound that rattled Charlie's teeth. The storm was the worst recorded in centuries. Rain and golf ball-sized hail pelted the streets and suburbs of Honolulu without remorse. For Charlie, it was especially terrifying. After Pearl Harbor, anything that seemed unnatural was worrisome to him. As he stared out the window, lightning struck the house across the street. It burst into flames as its occupants ran out, collapsing not a moment after. Charlie stared with confusion as the couple stopped dead in their tracks and looked into the sky above his house and towards the city. A look of terror came across their faces, one that Charlie himself wore on that fateful day of infamy so long ago.

Charlie Kappu rose from his chair with great effort and walked to a back window. The rain and hail had stopped but a tornado was pushing through the city behind him. It suddenly dispersed as lightning blasted through it and struck a high rise. The lightning did not flash and stop like it should have. Instead, it kept burning like a sign from Satan himself until the structure collapsed under its might. The typhoon burned blood-red as two more blasts struck the city. The smell of ozone reached Charlie who hadn't realized he had stepped outside to watch the spectacle. With it came the familiar stench of death and destruction.

The old man gripped his chest as he watched the clouds disperse in one area of the city. A brilliant golden entity seemed to come down from the bloodied sky and screamed its banshee cry of war as Charlie's heart pounded in his ears and he suddenly found it hard to breathe. It couldn't be... As King Ghidorah dropped his facade and began to lay waste to Honolulu, his failing heart struck its final blow against his aged body. Charlie's last thought was of the Japanese couple he had discriminated against. Perhaps it was karma that after all the Japanese he had killed, it was his turn to be destroyed by one of the monsters he had cheered on. Charlie Kappu, veteran of the bloodiest war in history until now, fell down, never to rise again. Maybe, after all, it was for the better.

Relentlessly, King Ghidorah blasted every human-made structure in his path to splinters, concrete chunks or molten metal. The creature attacked Honolulu, not letting a single construct escape his deadly attention as the storm around him continued. Lightning struck the King of Terror, as if Earth itself was fighting against the abomination from space. Ghidorah threw up his heads in a cacophony of demonic cackling shrieks. The electricity that had struck him came out of his wings as 12 beams of destruction which he used to wipe out the beachfront hotels and resorts.

When the last buildings had fallen, Ghidorah saw a flaming shape approaching him at high speed. He cocked his middle head to one side and watched the aberration approach. He recognized it! It seemed that being humiliated once was not enough for these pathetic descendants of his creators. The Kilaak ship FLAMING FURY came within firing range and a voice called out in Ghidorah's head.

_"Great Ghidorah, why do you continue to deny our pleas for reason?" it said in a dialect only he would understand._

_"Deny you? I thought that we had nothing to discuss." he telepathically replied but with a sneer._

_"Our civilization could well use your help. We both know what our masters want..."_

_"Our masters? Hah! I govern myself, Karkaru. Yes, I know your name. No empire is great enough to stand in my way."_

_"Even if that empire was the very one that created you?"_

_"Created me? Ghidorah laughed. Fool! It was I who created them!"_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"Have you not been told the truth of my origin? If it was not for me, there would be no Iron Empire!" _Karkaru was silent, which made Ghidorah laugh even more,_ "I thought so. To think that the Empire was once weak and pathetic is to think treason. The Emperor would have your head if you found out," _Ghidorah's eyes flashed. _"So maybe I should tell you."_

_"I am not in the mood for fairy tales, beast!" _The Kilaak King replied but Ghidorah laughed again.

_"So be it..." _Ghidorah fired a beam of gravitic distortion from his middle head at the Kilaak ship but it nimbly banked to the right and avoided the blast. Ghidorah sneered. I don't remember your pilots being so intelligent This time, it was Karkaru who laughed.

_"Your arrogance is what brought you to your demise in the past. It shall prove to do so again."_

_"So I hear." _Ghidorah smirked as he rose into the stormy sky. The FLAMING FURY fired a stream of molten flame which blasted through his shield and burned his skin a color somewhere between a bruise and gangrene. Ghidorah sneered in contempt. Don't test me, vermin! He blasted the ship with all three of his gravity beams. The flames encasing it took the brunt of the attack, dispersing it and sending it right back at him. Ghidorah was knocked flat on his back by the surprise counterattack but rose just as quickly. He shook his mighty heads and threw them towards the sky. Lighting struck his center head and he channeled the energy, added to it and blasted the Kilaak ship. It was knocked from the air, falling backwards into the Pacific. Ghidorah headed toward it, laughing as he watched it sinking slowly beneath the waves.

Suddenly, the craft burst from the water and slammed into his lower necks. His laughter became a wheezing rattle as three claw-like appendages burst forth and wrapped around each one. Thick hypodermic needles thrust straight into Ghidorah's throats. The beast shook violently, attempting to rid himself of the ship but to no avail. It was too close to his heads to turn and fire and whatever the material the cuffs were made of, they could not be broken by any means he possessed.

The Destroyer of Worlds fell to his knees as the needles pumped a thick toxin into his throats. It poured into his body and when there was no more room, it rose up his throats and burst from his mouths, mixed with blood in a sickly spray of orange and red. The compound worked through his bloodstream, causing Ghidorah to spasm and convulse like a thing possessed. His eyes rolled up into his heads as fluid continued to flow from his gaping jaws. Slowly, the monstrosity fell.

_"You have not... You will not prevail, Karkaru. If you think that defeating me will end your problems, you are mistaken. I hope you are aware. I... I am not what you think I am..." _With that message, the creature landed hard on his back, causing an earthquake throughout the region. Silence prevailed for a moment but the storm soon raged anew.

"Status?" Karkaru asked.

"Ghidorah is down for the count, sir. We have him." Karkaru smiled for the first time in a long while.

"Good. Insert the new control devices." The Kilaak operating the three mechanical arms pressed a red button on all three control sticks. Ghidorah's necks stiffened as a metallic orb the size of a car was rammed into each one, latching on to his spinal columns and sending wires throughout his body. Ghidorah attempted to scream but found that he could not move. A familiar invading presence entered his mind and pushed his consciousness aside, laughing as he tried to regain control of himself.

For the first time since being killed more than eight years ago, King Ghidorah felt fear as a terrible feeling washed over him. He could not control any of his body functions. The unsympathetic intelligence within him tested him against his will. Ghidorah cried for freedom, for mercy - for anything but his pleas went unanswered. Once more, the Grand King of Terror was nothing but a slave to the Kilaaks.

Tuket flew over the devastation of Honolulu in his new personal command ship, the INFERNO. After seemingly returning unscathed from the battle above the Earth, he was greeted as a hero by the entire Kilaak race and Karkaru had placed almost full command of the invasion in his hands.

On his wallscreen, the golden visage of King Ghidorah appeared. The sight of the beast brought a slight chill to Tuket's 'skin' but a quick inspection of the beast gave away his current disposition. Ghidorah's normally red eyes had glossed over completely and were now ivory white. Blood, drool and the last bits of the orange toxin dripped from his mouths. The creature had a subdued nature about him when he turned his heads as one to watch Tuket's ship pass overhead before mindlessly resuming the destruction of Pearl Harbor. Karkaru appeared on the screen opposite the image of Ghidorah. The King was actually laughing.

"It worked, Tuket! We have him where he belongs."

"I thought it would," Tuket replied. "The Mysterians and the rest of their disgusting spawn on this planet have nothing that can stop us now." Karkaru laughed once more.

"Indeed my, brother. It is a good thing that I turned this invasion over to you." Tuket nodded. The King seemed to be trying to think of something else to say. He finally added, "Prepare to activate the volcano. Let us withdraw Ghidorah first, however. I do not think his shields are going to work as well as we would wish them to under our control." Tuket nodded again. Frustrated with his silence but unwilling to admit as much, Karkaru disappeared from the screen, allowing Ghidorah to once more fill it. Tuket smiled.

"Take us to Kilauea," he ordered.

"But, sir... Karkaru told us to -"

"Do it," Tuket growled, forming his right hand into a blade, an action that only a high-ranking Kilaak was ever allowed to perform. The subordinate turned and did not question his commander again.

The INFERNO was soon encased in flame and sped towards the mountain, arriving just a few minutes later. The fiery facade was dropped and a red beam blasted from its bottom. Slamming into the side of the volcano, its energy went through the rocks and into the magma deep beneath it. As it did so, it super-heated the already extremely hot caldera. The energy reached the vent that came directly from the mantle, went up the core and struck a device placed there nearly twenty years ago. The sealed fusion bomb activated and exploded from the immense energy being poured into it. The blast, several hundred times more powerful than any Mysterian-made nuclear weapon, caused the entire area to shake as if an extremely powerful earthquake had just occurred, causing portions of several seaside mountains and volcanos in the island chain to collapse into the sea, each of which spawned massive tidal waves that began to spread across the Pacific. The volcano began to bulge from the tremendous energy being stored within.

"Status?" Tuket asked.

"The volcano is -"

BBBBOOOOOOMMMMM! The Kilaak smiled.

"Ready enough." The upper half of Kilauea blew away as a fiery cloud of molten rock and ash rose from a cone not built to sustain such massive eruptions. The titanic amounts of debris thrown into the atmosphere were just a prelude to an even more deadly monster, actually, two. The first took several minutes to appear. The portion of the mountain that had withstood the violent eruption disappeared as the pyroclastic flow exploded outward from the volcanic shaft, so huge that the entire island was absorbed in its fiery wrath.

King Ghidorah walked thoughtlessly through the burning streets of Honolulu. He had been assigned to seek out and kill any remaining humans left in the city to test his abilities before being sent to North America. He turned and looked to the horizon as the fiery cloud of super-heated gas and ash appeared, consuming everything in sight. A thought process that had been squelched by the Kilaak intelligence controlling him told him to run away but it was too little and far too late. King Ghidorah was completely and instantly engulfed in the lava flow, literally petrified where he stood. His physical body evaporated underneath the molten rock and suddenly, Ghidorah's spirit saw freedom once more.

Fire and ash twisted and came into the eerie statue that had been King Ghidorah, literally slowing down the speed of the pyroclastic flow. Its energy and matter crushed Ghidorah's tomb and from the flames, the creature appeared once more, throwing up his heads and roaring in defiance. The King of Terror rose triumphantly above the cloud of death that hung low over what was left of Hawaii. Tuket smiled.

"Be free, my King," he said to the beast that most Kilaaks considered a disgrace - a failure. But he knew Ghidorah better than any living being alive. His metallic blood was forever bound with the hybrid.

Ghidorah searched the sky for Tuket's ship but it had already sped away. The creature slowly rose even higher above the ruined island. Instead of Tuket, he spotted the FLAMING FURY and the rest of the Kilaak fleet behind him.

The king stared at the screen with Ghidorah's golden visage staring defiantly back at him. Karkaru sneered but before he could issue a command, Ghidorah was on top of his craft. He wrapped his middle neck around the edges of the disc-shaped vessel and then violently threw it like a Frisbee. Ghidorah blasted the command ship with his gravity beams, blowing it apart over the Pacific while he cackled his victory, not seeing the escape pod as it shot away from the burning wreckage, falling into the water below.

The King of Terror turned to attack the Kilaaks but they had retreated to the other side of the island. The eruption continued to pour ash and dust on what was once a tropical paradise. The sun was blocked out by the debris in the air but King Ghidorah threw his heads up and bellowed as static electricity formed lightning and struck his golden hide. His eyes flashed red and his body glowed green as the creature rose into the fiery cloud of death hanging like a tombstone above the remains of the lava flow and Honolulu. For its few remaining survivors, there would never again be peace or tranquility in the Hawaiian Islands. For them, hell awaited.

_Mexico City_

As Tuket the INFERNO approached Mexico City, Karkaru came on the bridge. The second-in-command of the Kilaaks turned in his seat to look up into the angered eyes of his apprentice.

"Why did you do it?" Karkaru asked simply. Tuket continued to stare at him but did not answer. "Why. Did. You. Do. It!" he repeated menacingly, barely able to contain his rage and confusion. "Do you even know what you did? You not only disobeyed a direct order from me but you also freed King Ghidorah from our control. We had him! Our victory over this planet was finally at hand and you purposefully halted it. Why?"

"I thought I was the one who had control over how our invasion was planned now," Tuket replied. Karkaru clenched his fists as if to punch Tuket's face in but he restrained himself.

"Do not tempt me, Tuket! You may be a hero and my elder but I am still the King," Tuket sneered.

"I thought it said any former ruling power commanded authority just as much as the present ruling class under Article 7 of -"

"Do not throw politics at me! I trusted you and I still have a great respect for you but what you have done to harm our invasion is irresponsible and disgusting, if I do say so myself." Tuket suddenly rose from his seat.

"Do you believe that I care what you have to say? I made you who you are and I well know that your record is not all glory as you make it out to be. You seem to forget that if it was not for me, there would not be a Kilaak civilization."

"And yet you have decided to turn against that which you have fought so long and hard to create?"

"Sometimes, I do not think your decisions are the wisest course of action for Kilaak. You are still very young compared to me, Karkaru. You still have a naive sense about you and sometimes, it is proper and just for me to correct that."

"Again, you fail to explain to me why you released King Ghidorah from our captivity."

"My reasons are not of your concern. I will explain them to you if you will explain to me why a quarter of our fleet is still guarding Mount Fuji, a volcano which is already activated and does not need to be guarded." Karkaru was silent. "You should be grateful that I picked up your escape pod. I could have left you to the Earth's sea and taken over the kingdom myself but I did not." Karkaru hung his head, defeated.

"What has this war done to us, Tuket?" he asked. "Nobody can be trusted anymore. Sometimes, I wish I had never let my wife take our first invasion force to Earth. We might not have ever gotten so entrenched in this pointless conflict had we just left Earth alone. The Venus and Mercury colonies have plenty of room to give our race a new home. We do not even need Earth, or to be involved with any of the biological civilizations that so desire it."

"Those biological civilizations destroyed my King a long time ago, Karkaru. They, of all intelligences, cannot be trusted. Their ideals and alliances shift even faster than they themselves evolve. Our race is the pinnacle of perfection. Despite our occasional differences with one another, we have stuck together through thick and thin since our foundations so long ago." Tuket placed a reassuring hand on Karkaru's armored shoulder. "We must not give up now. We have to get rid of these beasts once and for all. Once they are gone, then we can all finally live in peace for the rest of eternity."

Karkaru stared at the wallscreen. The human colony of Mexico City, one of the most populated regions on Earth, loomed big and proud on it, beckoning to be destroyed.

Juan Reyes awoke with a start. The dusty old Ford he was driving had come to a stop in the middle of the intersection and several horns were blaring. People shook their fists out of their open car windows at him. A knock sounded on the glass behind him, making him jump.

"You okay. man?" Miguel asked his friend. Juan nodded, momentarily confused until the memory snapped back to him. He must have fallen asleep at the stop light He hadn't realized he was so tired. Making sure he still had gas, he shook the disorientation away and stepped on the accelerator, taking them out of the traffic jam he was causing. He ignored the one-fingered salutes several annoyed drivers offered as he drove away.

The run back from the States had left him exhausted. He had been transporting illegal immigrants who had gone to America back to Mexico all week and hadn't slept in days but he mustn't lose it now. Those who were sitting in the back of his truck were the last. They all had family in the capital which was why he had traveled all the way to the city. But more than that, they were members of the Black Legion; VIP guests in almost any part of the country. After several failed rebellions, the Legion had, for the most part, moved to the United States but after the Space Force Directive started taking over the country to the north, most of its members had returned to Mexico. So far, contact with the aliens hadn't been made but the Legion strongly believed that the second coming had finally arrived.

The Black Legion was a highly organized religious sect which traced its roots back to the Mysterian invasion nearly fifty years ago. It claimed to have origins far older than that but it was well known as the last and most powerful of the fanatic religious groups that had formed around the time mankind first discovered he was not alone in the universe. The Legion had been headed by the richest and most powerful former Christian and Muslim men in Mexico at the time. They believed that the aliens were gods who had created Man and thus, he should obey their demands and respect them for what they were.

The group had held massive protests whenever an alien race was thwarted by mankind and his monsters. The Kilaak invasion of '99 marked the end of the highly organized group when U.N. security forces broke it up and arrested its leaders, along with many members and forced the remnants into hiding. They had formed smaller and less successful cult-gangs but for the most part had been pressed into drug trafficking and illegal weapons smuggling to and from the United States, Cuba and Colombia. Now, with the pending conquest of the U.S., the Black Legion had re-organized and was about to have a celebratory ceremony led by Don Rafelo, a former Mayan priest. He had grown rich and sheltered many members of the group since '99 when they were forced to hide from the police. Rafelo was rumored to have direct ties to the former Soviet Union and many terrorist cells around the world but nobody had enough evidence to make a move on him. He was the most feared man in Mexico and it was believed that he held more power over the city than many could ever imagine.

Juan pulled the truck onto the freeway that would take them to Rafelo's mansion which overlooked the Valley of Mexico. The area was surrounded by mountains and volcanos which provided some beautiful scenery if one was looking for that kind of thing. Juan had grown up there and the heights comforted him. His Ford managed to gasp into Rafelo's mile-long driveway before its overworked transmission finally gave out and the vehicle stalled by the security post. Juan and his men had to push the truck into a parking space nearby before they could enter the gates and begin their walk to the mansion.

"You should get some sleep after this, Juan. You have never fallen asleep at the wheel before," Miguel said with a concerned look on his face.

"My friend, I do not think I will be getting any sleep soon. My entire family has come to pay their last respects to my grandfather. The old man died just last week. I never got to know him well but he was a good man and nobody in my family will sleep until he is buried. My mother will see to that," Juan replied, running a hand over his face and suddenly realizing that he hadn't shaved in nearly three days.

"I'm just sayin', man. You have been too worked up over stuff a lot lately. When you picked us up back in Texas, I thought you were gonna kill us before we hit the border, the way you were drivin'..."

"Stress, my friend. Stress and too much work. Maybe Rafelo will finally have some good news for us." When they reached the mansion, they noticed the hundreds of cars and trucks around the area. Juan walked through an open gate that lead to the massive courtyard where Rafelo himself stood at a podium overlooking a crowd of excited, if not a bit morbid, faces.

"The time has finally come, my brothers!" he was saying. "It is time for us to rise up and overcome our oppressors! The government is in a panic over our lord's righteous attack on the United States. They have become so frightened that they have devoted almost all of their police and military resources to guarding the borders against alien and American entry to our country."

They don't seem to mind former Mexican citizens running back to their homeland Juan thought.

"The holy ones will soon take over the United States and place the rest of the world under their mighty reign. The beginning of a new age is here, my friends! The holy ones are only attacking the people of the United States because they know that foolish nation will fight them for its misled ideas about freedom. Soon, they will stop their resistance and peace will bring an end to all violence here on Earth. We must do our part in their grand plans for us! We must overcome as many of these stubborn human governments as we can before they send their militaries against the holy ones, sparking more pointless deaths on both sides. We must -" Don's motivational speech was suddenly cut short as a sonic boom struck the mansion, shattering windows and shaking everyone present to their very bones.

"What the hell..." Don muttered as he gathered his fallen papers. A man dressed in black ran up to whisper something in his ear and his eyes widened. He looked in disbelief at the guard who shrugged and left the podium, running back around to the front. Don composed himself and spoke into the microphone, his voice a bit shaky.

"It seems that the holy ones have arrived! They are right now hovering over the center of this city, no doubt awaiting our proposal of alliance!" There were soon a hundred conversations going on at once. Not hearing what he expected, Don continued.

"Do we not want to show them all the love and respect they want to show for us? Do we not want to give them their glory in this, our most precious hour?" The crowd erupted in applause and whooped. Rafelo's lips curved into a sinister smile. "Then let us show them our appreciation..."

Several miles away on a mountainside obscured by homes and small warehouses, a long-hidden hangar bay slowly lurched open. All was silent for several uncomfortable minutes until a single golden rocket blasted forth on its computer-guided mission. Don and most of his crowd had made their way to the front of the compound, watching the spectacle that emerged from the mountainside.

"Watch now as our hopes and dreams meet their most glorious expectations." Don's voice trailed off as he watched the missile blast from its base. Juan just stared, dumbfounded at what he was seeing. Did he intend to bomb the aliens?

"With all due respect, Father Rafelo, but what is attacking the holy ones going to do to help us?" Don looked at the middle-aged Mexican in contempt and let out a sinister laugh.

"My boy, do you really think it is them I am bombing?" Juan recoiled as the realization suddenly struck him. The crazed man continued laughing hysterically as Mexico City vanished in a massive ball of light.

Tuket and Karkaru suddenly felt the INFERNO shake violently. "What was that?" Karkaru demanded.

"Sir, a nuclear explosion just wiped out half of the city!" The king sneered.

"Who was it?" He hated the idea of the Mysterian or Xian forces stealing a kill from him.

"It was... a human missile, sir." The response made him look at the Kilaak who had spoken.

"So afraid of us that they decided to blow themselves up rather than let us finish the job?" Karkaru shook his head in amazement. "This is getting easier by the minute."

"We are picking up a high-energy transmission from one of the nearby mountains," the communications officer stated. "It is an encrypted human message. We are translating now." Karkaru looked on with mild interest as Kilaak characters appeared on the wallscreen.

Welcome to Earth our most Holy saviors! We offer to you this now-leaderless nation as an offering of peace and gratitude. - The Black Legion The Kilaak king snorted.

"Where did this come from?"

"That volcano, directly east of us, sir. Just out of the blast radius of the bomb." Karkaru smiled.

"Let us now show them our appreciation." The entire command staff smiled to themselves as the ship approached Rafelo's mansion.

Juan stood in disbelief and sorrow. Millions of people had just died right before his very eyes, vanishing into a gigantic mushroom cloud. His entire family was among them, as were most of his friends. He looked at Rafelo who still laughed in glee.

"A nation fallen is a nation easily conquered, my boy. Some sacrifice is required to bring peace and order to the world. One day you will understand that." Juan felt an overwhelming sense of hatred course through him as he tackled Rafelo before the security guards could stop him. Pinning the insane man to the ground, he began to simultaneously hit and choke him while the guards tried their best to pry him off their boss. Finally, Don was pulled free of the enraged Mexican. Juan was held by three armed men who started to beat him until a brilliant glint of light caught everyone's attention. From the sky came a massive spacecraft. Rafelo seemed revitalized as he spread his arms and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"You see? All has been set right! Our future will belong to the gods and they will guide us to eternal salvation!" As if in response, a beam of fiery red light shot from the bottom of the vessel, crashing into the mountainside above the mansion. The Kilaak ship then blasted another nearby mountain with a similar beam.

"Wha... What?" Rafelo stammered. "They... they must not have received our transmission... They -" His words were interrupted as the ground beneath his feet began to shake violently.

"Earthquake!" somebody yelled. Juan freed himself from the grasp of the security guards and bull-rushed Don Rafelo. Screaming at the top of his lungs, he drove both of them over the edge of the cliff, sending them plummeting to the Earth far below. Don managed to get a glimpse of his mountain home before he hit the ground. Fire and ash blew up from it as the volcano it was built upon came to life.

"Do you see what I mean, Karkaru?" Tuket inquired, quite bemused by the whole affair. "These stupid apes are so violent and unpredictable that they are a danger to not only us but themselves. And the other races gathering here are no better. Warmongers, the lot of them! They all deserve to die." Karkaru nodded solemnly. He still had his doubts about this invasion but if anything, the destruction of Mexico City made him realize that there was no way the Kilaaks could co-exist with these creatures. That missile could have very well killed him and his crew if it had exploded in the sky.

"Sir, King Ghidorah is closing in quickly. I think the explosion attracted his attention," a bridge officer advised.

"It is time for me to go," Tuket said before Karkaru could object. The king looked at him, momentarily confused. "I will draw Ghidorah away, then take my fleet up the eastern coast of this continent and follow the land until I reach the area the humans call 'Europe'. By then, we will try to lose Ghidorah somehow. No doubt his hard feelings against the Xians will halt his pursuit of us.

"You, on the other hand, must continue to activate the Pacific Ring of Fire volcanos. There are still hundreds of them." Karkaru nodded.

"It will all be over soon, my friend," Tuket sighed. He placed a hand on the King's shoulder before he walked off the bridge toward the shuttle that would take him to his own ship.

"Be careful, Tuket," Karkaru finally said. The ancient Kilaak turned to look at his King.

"You as well... old friend." Little did either of them realize that they would never see each other again.

_Zandolla_

The escaped Garogan kaiju Zandolla crashed into the subterranean city, coming across it by accident as he drilled through the Earth but now that he had found it, he was going on a rampage. Seatopians fled for their lives as the monster trampled many underfoot and knocked over statues and structures left and right.

Among those attempting to escape the creature's wrath was Angelique who barely avoided being crushed by falling statuary that came down on someone running right behind her. Suddenly, she heard a scream and looked over to see a young girl kneeling next to her mother who had been killed by flying debris. A pillar with a damaged foundation started to give way and fall towards the child.

With no regard for her own safety, Angelique jumped over a fallen column and tackled the girl out of the way at the last possible second as the pillar came down. As she did so, her left foot became pinned beneath some fallen chunks of stone. She yelled for the girl to flee as more columns and walls began to fall all around them. Angelique struggled desperately to get free as three more supports began to fall over in a domino effect and the one closest leaned in her direction.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms reached around her and she looked up to see her beloved Prince pulling with all his might as the last pillar began to fall toward them. With no time to spare, Hector managed to wrench her free as it crashed down right next to them.

Plowing through the bedrock and into the city itself came Megalon who shrieked in anger at the beast that dared violate the sanctity of his kingdom and its people. His arrival got Zandolla's attention. The creature ran towards the Seatopian god but the mighty knight stood before him, unmoving.

Prince Hector wondered why their savior was not attacking or responding to the kaiju as it quickly closed in. Zandolla then leapt into the air as Megalon did likewise and lashed out with a backhand swing. They passed each other in mid-air before both monsters landed in kneeling positions.

Zandolla rose first and turned to look at Megalon who still had his back to him. The Seatopians looking on wondered what was going to happen next when a hair-line circle of red appeared around the Garogan kaiju's neck. A few seconds later, his head fell off of his body which toppled over with a geyser of blood pouring out of the neck stump.

The people cheered their protector as he slowly rose and turned to look at the corpse.

"Our god has saved us! All hail Megalon!" Angelique proclaimed as she, Prince Hector and anyone within sight of their monstrous defender bowed down in gratitude and prayer.

"What were you thinking? Or perhaps I should ask if you were in the first place!" King Antonio berated his son in disbelief.

"I had to do it, father!"

"You had to do nothing! What if you had gotten killed? Then what? What about the future of our kingdom? Our people? Did you even consider that?"

"She needed me! If I hadn't gone to her, she would be dead now!"

"You don't know that. We have men specifically trained to aid our people in an emergency like that."

"Yes, I do know it and none of the rescue personnel were where Angelique was! When that monster knocked over a pillar, no one else was around who could have saved her. She would have been crushed! Can't you understand that, father?" Hector pleaded.

"I understand that you nearly threw away your life and your sacred duty to this country! That is what I understand. You have responsibilities as the Prince and heir to Seatopia's throne that you cannot forsake for any reason... or anyone." The King's last comment made Hector's head snap up with an angry scowl.

"Are you suggesting that I should have let her die?" he exploded.

"The needs of the many out weigh the -"

"Don't even say it, father!"

"It is the way things are, my son..."

"No! It is the way you want them to be!"

"Why can't you see reason? Your love for this girl has blinded you to the things that are the most important!"

"To me, she is the most important!"

"You would turn your back on your people and your birthright for this woman?"

"You yourself owe that woman your life!"

"And I have not forgotten that, I assure you."

"Why is it that I cannot love whom I want to love and still be your heir?"

"Because your love almost took you from me this night! Then there would be no heir! And I... I would have lost the only son I have, the only person left who gives my life meaning, that I love with all my heart," Antonio admitted, his voice trailing off into almost a whisper as he turned away, not wanting Hector to see the obvious emotion that was about to overcome him. Having a moment to calm down, the young Prince slowly walked over to his father and placed his hand on the old King's shoulder.

"But you didn't lose me and you never will. It is because of her that I have an entirely new reason to live as I have never lived before. And that is something that I will never throw away or take lightly as long as I live, father." After a few moments of silence, King Antonio turned around to face his son. In his eyes were the remnants of the tears he had tried to wipe away.

"You have to understand, my son, that I worry about you..."

"I know, father."

"I want you to be safe and to live a long and happy life as my successor. I want you to bear an heir of your own who will grow strong as you have and carry on in your footsteps as you will carry on in mine."

"That is what I want as well, father."

"But with Angelique, of course..."

"Yes, father."

"There is absolutely nothing that I can do to change your mind about this?"

"No, father. I am sorry but she is the woman I love before any and all others. And she will be my Queen," Hector declared gently, trying not to upset him.

"I see."

"I am sorry that you do not approve but my choice has been made, father."

"Then I guess that I will simply have to accept it," the King replied.

"She is a good woman, father, despite her bloodline."

"Well, you can't blame a concerned father for trying," Antonio said with a smile as he and Hector stared into each other's eyes for a moment. "You are just as stubborn as your mother ever was." Now, Hector could also share his smile.

Later, in Megalon's citadel, Antonio was praying for the success of the alliance and the defeat of their enemies but there were also other things on the weary King's mind. Megalon took notice.

_"Penny for your thoughts, old friend?" _Megalon asked, sitting on the high perch where he normally slept in his crystallized form. He was taking a brief respite before returning to the surface world.

_"Nothing worth troubling you with, my Lord," _Antonio replied, even though he was wearing the telepathic headband that enabled him to converse with their proud knight.

_"Perhaps she is the best thing that ever happened to your son?" _The King let out a sigh, having forgotten that when it was in place, there were no thoughts that remained hidden from Megalon.

_"It is certainly what Hector believes," _the worried ruler admitted.

_"Has she given you reason to believe otherwise?"_

_"It is not that. It is a matter of tradition, of nobility."_

_"Because she is not of royal blood."_ Megalon was once more probing the King's thoughts.

_"I tried to reason with him but he will hear none of it."_

_"I sense that you have already consented to his wishes."_

_"I have. I am just not pleased with it."_

_"You wanted him to learn to think for himself, to make important decisions some day. Perhaps this is the time?"_

_"I just do not know. I wish I did. Is this meant to be or is my son making a terrible mistake?"_ Just then, a noise from behind caught the King's attention. He turned to see Angelique standing a few feet behind him as she bowed in his presence.

"I did not mean to disturb you, your majesty," she apologized.

"Have you come to pray?"

"Among other things, your highness."

"What other things?"

"I wanted to thank our lord and savior for showing me something that will stay with me for the rest of my life, my King."

"Indeed... And what might that be?" Antonio asked, motioning for her to rise.

"I know that there are other races like ours, both of Earth and celestial that have gods or defenders as we have. But on this day, I witnessed something that will forever separate Megalon from all the others. After the invading monster was killed and his body disposed of, our great protector returned to the city and meticulously began searching through the rubble and devastation for survivors. And when that task was completed, I watched him help rebuild the damaged parts of the city with his own hands, for lack of a better term.

"I want him to understand that on this day, he showed the true reason why we love and worship him. It is not because of his incredible power, nor because we are taught to practically from the time we are born but because he nurtures us. Megalon truly protects and cares for us in a way I never would have thought possible. I want him to know that now I respect and worship him as never before. Not because it is expected but because he has earned our admiration and our love. Of all the gods and beasts and would-be rulers in history, some were petty and cruel and ruled with an iron fist but Megalon stands out as one who rules with compassion and kindness. For that and so much more, I offer my thanks and my servitude." As she finished her speech, the King was noticeably moved by her words as she gazed up at the stoic defender standing upon the peak of his slumber chamber looking down at them.

"I will detain you no longer, your majesty," she said as she bowed once more before respectfully backing out of the citadel.

"Angelique, wait..." Antonio called after her.

"Yes, my King?", she lifted her beautiful eyes to meet Antonio's.

"I never got a chance to thank you... for saving my life," he smiled sincerely.

"Think nothing of it, my King. As a citizen of Seatopia, I live to serve and protect what we all cherish and hold most dear. By your leave?" she asked humbly.

"Yes, of course..."

_"I think your son has made an excellent choice," _Megalon said softly, snapping the King out of the trance her words had temporarily put him in.

_"Did you understand what she said?"_ he asked as she had not been using the headband.

_"No, but as she spoke, her words entered your mind and became known to me."_

_"Not that what she said was not beautiful and sincere but please tell me, my Lord. You are not going to condone this union between her and my son simply because she paid you homage?"_

_"No. Because she is a good woman with a good heart. I can sense it."_

_"But what about tradition, my Lord?"_

_"Nobility is the word I believe you used, my old friend. Was it not?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Then with that in mind, please allow me to offer you some advice. Nobility is defined by one's actions, not by blood. I understand that she saved the life of a small child while nearly losing her own in the process. Is that not true?"_

_"It is."_

_"How many members of your royal court would have been willing to make the same sacrifice?" _Megalon's words hit the aged King like a ton of bricks as he suddenly realized how foolish he had been. Megalon read the flood of regret that entered his mind as the King confronted this epiphany. _"Do not be too hard on yourself. You only wanted what you thought was best for your son. You love and cherish him. These are good things. You simply became a little misguided along the way."_

_"I am a foolish old man! Why did I not realize this before?"_

_"You want a woman who is strong, who will carry on the proud tradition and legacy of this kingdom. Is that not so? There is no other woman more fitting than the one who just left here."_

_"Thank you, my old friend, for showing me the way."_

_"It was not me, wise King Antonio. It was Angelique. You simply needed to open your eyes and ears so that you could hear it for yourself."_

_"You call me wise, oh mighty Megalon, but I think we know where true wisdom lies."_

_"Wisdom is also being able to acknowledge that you are wrong and learn from it, my proud King."_

_"Again, my friend, I thank you,"_ Antonio said with a bow.

Later back at the palace...

"You wanted to see me, Father?" Prince Hector asked when Antonio summoned him. The young royal worried that he had changed his mind about his choice for the future Queen of Seatopia.

"Yes, Hector. It is about Angelique."

"Father, we have already been through this and I thought you..."

"Just give me a chance to say what I have to say."

"I love her, Father, and nothing you say will -"

"And I couldn't be happier for you both!" the old King cut in, much to Hector's amazement. "I have had a long talk with an old friend on this matter and after doing so, I realize what a crotchety fool I have been. I spent so much time obsessing over the royal bloodline that I never stopped to consider what really gives a person nobility. This is not easy for me to say but I know that it must be said... I was wrong. Can you forgive me?" Prince Hector was speechless as his father awaited the end of a very uncomfortable silence. "I don't suppose you could manage to say something to me before I die of old age, could you?" he smiled gently.

"Father, I don't know what to say..."

"Just say that you forgive me."

"Oh, gee... I don't know..." the young Prince finally replied, having a little fun now. "I mean, you did nag me on and on about it..."

"Hector..."

"You never really gave me a moment's peace... Royal blood this, royal blood that... blah blah blah."

"All right! I get the point." Antonio grinned rather sheepishly, chuckling to himself as his son smiled mischievously.

"Yes, Father. Of course I forgive you!" he laughed happily as they placed their hands on each other's shoulders.

"Thank you, my son."

"And I promise you, Father. Angelique will make you proud."

"She already has, Hector. She already has."


	12. Monster Mash

_Gamera vs. King Ghidorah_

Gamera flew high above the Earth. Somewhere below lurked the greatest threat he had ever known. The Gyaos had long since been put in hibernation but this beast could single-handedly wake them from their slumber. It was something Gamera would rather die preventing than allow to happen. He suddenly had a terrible feeling course through him and knew that this was the spot. The guardian descended, sending out a mental plea for assistance for he knew that this battle would not be an easy one.

King Ghidorah fired a beam at the annoying Kilaak ship that had been following him for nearly an hour, apparently piloted by some fool who believed he could control him. It quickly flew off and he shook one of his heads, loosing fragments of the probe that had lodged in his scales. He turned his attention back to the coastal city he was destroying when a flaming ball of energy struck him in the back of his necks. The blast knocked him flat on his faces, a position from which he quickly recovered to bellow at this new contestant.

This foe was different from all the others he had conquered but reminded him somewhat of Anguirus, only not as spiky. If it was possible, the beast seemed even more determined than the deceased Earth creature ever was. Gamera let out a shrieking bellow, challenging the King of Terror and daring him to do more harm to this planet. Ghidorah would have smiled if he could as he sensed Gamera's hatred for him and his vigor to protect the Earth. He wondered why the beast hadn't come after him when he first arrived but cackled with evil laughter. The terrapin might have actually had a chance back then.

Gamera threw up his head, roared and fired off three simultaneous fireballs. They splashed violently against Ghidorah's shield, their explosions pushing through and knocking him backwards, nearly causing him to fall out of the sky. The space demon lowered himself underneath his aggressor and charged. Gamera wasn't expecting this but brought both elbow blades out and sliced downward, locking with Ghidorah's right and left heads' crown of horns. His arms straining to hold down both heads, Gamera quickly grabbed the center neck, barely stopping it from locking around his own throat. He felt the raw power flowing through Ghidorah and it took every ounce of strength he had to hold onto him.

Ghidorah hissed and flicked his forked tongue out, licking Gamera's neck and tasting his Earthly flesh. The mighty terrapin recoiled at the putrid breath; bits of flesh and bone still hanging off his teeth from the last unfortunate beast that stood in his way. A point-blank blast with a gravity beam from his middle head struck Gamera's neck and tore a small hole through the side of it. The gigantic turtle threw his head up and bellowed in pain as Ghidorah freed himself from the guardian's grip.

Having gained the upper hand, Ghidorah kicked Gamera in the knee, knocking him down and further increasing the already large size difference between them. Gamera powered up his arm rockets, suddenly blasting backwards before Ghidorah could get a grip on him. He felt their white-hot jet flames sear his golden skin and snarled. Lifting into the air, the fiend gave chase to this flying enemy who had retracted all his limbs and was now spinning like a burning Frisbee. Ghidorah barely managed to keep up with the beast. Suddenly, Gamera made an impossible turn and flew straight back towards him. The Destroyer of Worlds bellowed in surprise as Gamera's full weight slammed into him, sending both creatures flying at seven times the speed of sound. Ghidorah fell from the sky and into the sea.

Gamera dove into the water after him, a mistake he would learn to regret later. Underneath the Pacific surface, Gamera had the advantage, or so it seemed, until King Ghidorah hissed and flashed brilliantly. Gamera didn't stand a chance. Everything in contact with the water within several miles was instantly electrocuted, Gamera being the only creature strong enough to withstand the immense blast of energy. After the deadly attack, he was as good as dead and floated belly-up to the surface as Ghidorah rose from the depths beside him, laughing hysterically.

It seemed that the guardians of Earth weren't as strong-willed as they claimed to be but Ghidorah's conclusion was a flawed one. He could sense another creature flying toward the battleground on wings of rainbow hues and strong-willed love for the planet she was fighting to protect. Ghidorah hissed and lowered his heads, knowing he was about to fight the kaiju that had delivered the death blow to him several years ago, or at least a relative of that being: Mothra.

Mothra released a loud echoing chirp as she descended from the clouds, her once-injured body fully revitalized and ready to fight this three-headed demon. Ghidorah's evil eyes flashed as he glanced at the insect floating in front of him. Mothra couldn't help but notice Gamera's body in the ocean below, motionless and paralyzed. She knew that King Ghidorah was responsible.

"Another creature to defeat... Is there a never-ending supply of you pitiful Earth vermin?" Ghidorah hissed as his three heads writhed like serpents.

"A bit arrogant, aren't we? You failed to destroy this planet before and you will again! Even if I am defeated, the other monsters and humans will fight with their last ounce of strength!" Mothra retorted, her sapphire eyes flashing. Ghidorah roared angrily and flew at the insect but she quickly maneuvered out of his way. As Mothra came around, energy crackled within the gems on her forehead. Three powerful blasts danced through the air and struck King Ghidorah's body. Minimal damage was done as they merely streaked across the surface of his shield.

Ghidorah cackled when he noticed the deity's surprise. This did not stop her determination as Mothra flapped her wings at unbelievable speed and slammed into his abdomen, tossing him backwards into the ocean. King Ghidorah quickly recovered and bolted into the air. Both kaiju slammed into each other high above the water so quickly that only flashes of light glinted in the sky. After a few seconds of this, both monsters halted their assaults. King Ghidorah was surprised at his adversary's strength but enjoyed a challenge such as this one presented.

Mothra's eyes flashed brightly as she moved her two front claws. Ghidorah cackled even more and thought this creature a fool for thinking she could threaten him. Suddenly, two snake-like vines burst from the waters beneath the behemoth and wrapped around his legs, dragging him downward. Several more encircled him, nearly covering his entire writhing body. He roared in pain as they constricted with unbelievable strength. They didn't contain him for long as he mustered enough power to completely vaporize them.

Hatred blazed in Ghidorah's eyes as he threw his heads back and released three sizzling gravity beams from his mouths. At the same time, Mothra fired her three forehead rays. Both forms of energy met between them and crackled violently. The monsters fed enormous amounts of power into these long-range weapons but it didn't budge them. Eventually, the forces were so great that the beam lock literally exploded, releasing a great shockwave that knocked both creatures into the sea.

After a few minutes spent recuperating, King Ghidorah raised himself out of the water and waited for his nemesis to continue the battle. Mothra also emerged, flying slowly as her wings were completely drenched. King Ghidorah released a high screeching roar and flew toward her to violently tear into her wings and abdomen. The mystic lepidopteron squealed painfully as the demon tore small pieces of her wings off. His tongues licked her wounds evilly, savoring the taste of his near triumph but this did not deter Mothra. As Ghidorah continued to bite her body, she reached down and grasped onto the center neck that was mauling her abdomen. Her claws tore deep into his scaly flesh and blood seeped from the wounds. Furious, Ghidorah released her and Mothra managed to regain her stability. Three gravity beams danced through the air and pelted across her body, knocking the moth backwards into the water.

King Ghidorah bellowed at his two fallen opponents, both floating belly-up like dead fish. He failed to notice a slight tingling sensation across his back and didn't stop his mad cackling until he felt as if all the blood had been drained from his body. Ghidorah gasped and took in several wheezy breaths, becoming disoriented and falling back into the sea. As he sank into the water, he felt powerful claws wrap around his left neck.

Impossible! he thought as Gamera applied pressure on the appendage and then dragged the King of Terror further into the sea. Gamera bit and clawed furiously at the disoriented space dragon. Ghidorah was helpless to react as all his power had been drained from him by the very beast that was now attempting to kill him. He suddenly realized his mistake: Mana! Gamera must feed on it as well and was able to drain it from his body This revelation enraged him beyond his normal hatred for Earth-born beings. How dare this pathetic waste of flesh steal his very own lifeforce that he had rightfully earned! Ghidorah laughed angrily, even through his pain. The Atlantean sentinel halted momentarily, confused at this sudden display of humor in such a seemingly dire situation.

"You fool!" Ghidorah's evil voice said in kaiju-speak. "Do you think taking my energy away would stop me? I have annihilated better fighters than you with half as much strength as I now possess! You should not have given me as much purpose. I might have allowed this 'Gaia' to live a little longer than it will now."

"You do not intimidate me, demon!" Gamera replied firmly.

"Intimidation? That should be the least of your worries." King Ghidorah began to glow a sickening shade of green. Gamera was mesmerized by the disturbing beauty of his appearance in the near pitch-black conditions deep below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The terror from beyond flashed brilliantly and threw his heads up in laughter, revealing a desolate landscape filled with the corpses of whales and other creatures that hadn't been as strong as Gamera against his electrical attack. When the light dimmed, Ghidorah was gone. Gamera looked all around but he didn't see anything, even with his enhanced vision. However, he could still feel the abomination's presence nearby.

Ghidorah's satanic laughter suddenly rang through the terrapin's head like the sound of bones scraping against one another and of innocent people letting loose their cries of terror and death. Gamera swung around in every direction, not seeing anything but feeling a strange sensation - a terrible one. The laughter echoed through his head, causing it to pound. Suddenly, there was a red and yellow explosion beneath him. Gamera hadn't realized that the battle had brought them this close to the sea bed. Magma and bubbles of trapped gas created a fissure that cracked the ocean floor like a pie crust. Several balls of magma rose up and seemed to combine into one, twisting and convulsing in on themselves, forming a pulsating, terrifying shape of the being that Gamera so hated. The area where the triple-domed titan's eyes should be began to glow a contrasting shade of blood red and the magma seemed to cool into the creature's golden scales.

King Ghidorah suddenly shrieked and slammed into Gamera at blinding speed. The guardian had no time to react and found himself being pushed through the water toward the surface. The two behemoths blasted from the depths and rose high into the noon sky, Gamera screaming in pain as Ghidorah drove his horns into his soft underbelly. They were all the way into the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere when Ghidorah could sense that Mothra was coming to rejoin the battle. He let out a distorted cackle, carried away by the near-vacuum conditions. Gamera glared into his evil eyes as he was thrown away but regained his sense of balance. He would not give up the planet he so loved without a fight.

Mothra saw Gamera and Ghidorah battling furiously high in the atmosphere and flew toward them with all the power her wings could muster. Bright explosions flared, as if lightning was flickering from an oncoming storm. She screeched, attempting to distract Ghidorah's attention away from Gamera but he ignored her.

Gamera flew back toward the space demon who was waiting for him to attack. Several fireballs exploded from the guardian's mouth and danced across the dragon's shield. Seeing that his energy attacks were ineffective against it, he threw himself at his opponent, crashing head first into Ghidorah's abdomen, causing both kaiju to fall back down toward the Earth's surface. The three-headed menace quickly regained his aerial posture and began to cackle deviously at the flying turtle.

"You are a persistent one! Too bad you will not succeed!" Barrages of gravity bolts seared toward the perplexed guardian. Gamera braced himself but was knocked out of the sky by the kinetic force of the beams. All that could be seen of him was a plume of smoke as he plummeted towards the Earth's surface. Ghidorah continued to cackle until he found himself being jerked backwards by some unknown force. He turned around to find Mothra pulling his tails. The tri-headed beast roared maliciously and spat gravity bolts toward the insect's face but Mothra used the tails as a shield, allowing the beams to hit them instead of her. They pulsed across the appendages, ripping one off completely and leaving a bloody stub. Mothra screeched triumphantly and bolted over her nemesis as the demon coddled his gory wound, glancing back towards her with evil flaming in his eyes.

"You will regret that!" he roared.

"Go back into the Hell from whence you have come!" she responded, flapping her wings in agitation.

"What are you going to do if I don't? Zap me with your beams and fry me?" the beast sarcastically spat.

"You are not wrought with the authority to destroy or conquer this planet. Now be gone!" Mothra screeched angrily. Ghidorah threw his heads back and laughed. He found it amusing that this pathetic insect was ordering him to leave, especially when he had so much power at his disposal. Suddenly, he could hear female voices resonating in his mind and Mothra's melody eerily echoing in his heads.

"Make those fairies of yours keep their tongues silent before I ease their passing. Wait! Or shall I make them suffer? I will get a thrill out of that!" Ghidorah gibed as he glanced around, looking for her tiny priestesses. Mothra moved closer toward her enemy, attempting to attract his attention away from the Elias.

"You are as arrogant as Gudis! You will be destroyed by your pride and self-satisfaction. I have seen many opponents fall due to their arrogance. You will be yet another enemy who dies due to his own failings," Mothra rumbled as she recalled the memories of her previous forms.

"I am not intimidated by your foolish words, insect! I shall make sure that you die a slow, painful, bloody death before I do what I want with this pitiful planet. You think you are wise, don't you? You may be but wisdom is not going to save your planet nor yourself from its impending doom. Give up! These pathetic creatures and this tiny cosmic speck that you guard isn't worth protecting!"

"If it is such a minimal, irrelevant planet, why do you want to conquer it?" Ghidorah remained silent and could not think of a response. Instead, he cast an evil glance in the insect's direction. "I see. You can not figure out why you want to attack a menial planet such as this one. You yourself consider it to be not worth savoring so why do it? Have you nothing better in the heavens to occupy yourself?" Mothra chuckled.

"Silence, you pathetic symbol of purity! This planet is mine and the reason I want it is not for you to be concerned with!" Ghidorah blared as he prepared to attack. He lunged forward and got one of his blood-dripping mouths around Mothra's neck, tearing her furry flesh. She screeched in agony and coughed up blood from her mandibles. The mighty insect slashed her clawed feet across his face, eventually hitting one of his blood-red eyes. Dark, steaming ichor seeped from the wound and King Ghidorah recoiled. As the menace lifted his heads and roared, Mothra was close enough to blast the monster's center head with her forehead beams. She tried the attack again but his shield began to reflect it.

"Look where arrogance gets you!" she spat as she gazed upon her writhing enemy, trying to keep her own pain from getting to her.

"Arrogance?" Ghidorah asked contemptuously. "I wouldn't be the one to talk. I have seen your miserable defeats before, running home with your tail between your legs. Your kind has done it too many times to count! Your great grandmother attacked me when she was a larva. A larva! If that is not arrogance, then I don't know what is!"

"In the end, she did defeat you," Mothra stated matter-of-factly but Ghidorah just sneered.

"You talk too much!" The King of Terror fired all twelve of his wing electricity beams. Mothra found herself unable to move as millions of volts tore through her, starting to cause internal damage, as well as burning her fur and charring her wings. "What's this that we have here?" Ghidorah asked, moving closer as he suddenly felt the presence of Gaia in her.

"NO!" Mothra managed to scream as his scales began to let off a ghostly green light. The spirit of the Earth that empowered her began to fade. Suddenly, King Ghidorah was knocked backwards into the air by an explosive force. He had failed to notice Gamera returning to the battle. The space dragon twisted and shrieked in the flames forming around his body due to the intense heat of his passage. Using all his strength, he threw up a gravity field which managed to catch him like a spider's web. Ghidorah turned and hissed hatefully as he regained his balance, influencing the field to push him away from the Earth's pull.

Mothra slinked up behind her savior, barely able to move, let alone fight. Gamera watched her with one eye while keeping the other focused on the golden demon before him. Ghidorah laughed, amused by Gamera's protection of the weakened guardian.

"Fool! A weak ally is a dead ally. You, of all creatures on this planet, should know that." Gamera thought of his fellow Atlantean guardians, all of whom had fallen to the Gyaos. Anger flooded his veins but he refused to let Ghidorah get to him.

"Allies fallen are better than not being worthy of anyone's trust!"

"Trust?" Ghidorah replied indignantly. "Who needs trust when you are the king?" Gamera blasted him with a trio of intense fireballs that splashed like waves against his shield. The kinetic force punched through it and the accompanying gravity field, knocking him backwards further into space. Ghidorah's golden hide stuck out like a sore thumb in the sunlight, visible for hundreds of miles in every direction; a new star in the Earth's sky. Gamera's greenish-black tone was much less noticeable but Ghidorah did not rely on sight to locate his enemies. A beam of gravitic energy splayed across his shell, loosening one of the plates and causing him to shriek in pain. Ghidorah was quickly on him, biting eagerly into his flesh to draw his Mana-rich blood. The right neck was met by Gamera's elbow blade which slit its throat. He swung his other elbow at the center neck but missed as Ghidorah recoiled from the previous attack. Bright crimson blood flowed freely from the convulsing head, forming balls in the zero gravity.

The demon responded angrily by delivering a point-blank blast of his gravity beams directly into Gamera's face, blasting a huge gash down the side of his head and cracking one of his tusks. Gamera was stunned by the attack which allowed his opponent to wrap his center neck around his own and drag him further into space. The guardian bellowed as the distance between him and Gaia grew greater and greater. He attempted to power up his leg jets but they were useless against Ghidorah's gravity control. The Mana energy reserves which sustained him were drawing away and he would not last long against the monster out here. The Destroyer of Worlds finally released his hold, watching him spin off into space as he bellowed soundlessly after him, the noise lost in the vacuum.

Gamera began to form a plan, one that could save the Earth from King Ghidorah's wrath. If it meant his own sacrifice in the process, that was something he had to risk. When Mothra's brightly-colored beams suddenly rained down on Ghidorah's unsuspecting hide, he knew that the Earth just might stand a fighting chance. King Ghidorah glanced towards the planet and a bright, luminescent object jolted from the atmosphere. Seconds later, Mothra slammed into his abdomen, forcing him farther away from her precious home. Before her enemy could revive from the blow, she flew over to the severely injured Gamera who floated on his back and placed one of her clawed feet on his bleeding hand.

"Fellow guardian, I give you this token of life for aiding me through this terrible time," she muttered as she began to glow intensely. Scales floated from her wings and her song echoed across the emptiness of space as she gave the great reptile some of her Mana.

"Mothra, you need the energy to fight Ghidorah. I am of no use any longer," he gasped as he tried to pull his hand away but couldn't muster the strength to do so.

"Do not say such things! As guardians of the Earth, we must work together to defeat this evil."

"Ghidorah is coming!" Gamera warned as he glanced into the blackness of space. Mothra quickly swung around and extended her wings to their full width, releasing enormous clouds of green, glowing scales. Ghidorah blasted several gravity bolts toward her but they were deflected by the discharge. As the three-headed terror entered the cloud, he again loosed his gravity bolts. This time, the energy reacted with the scales and caused several enormous explosions that enveloped the demon, tossing him far out into space. Seeing that he was gone, Mothra turned back to her comrade.

"You need not give me this energy. You are just depriving yourself of much-needed power!" Gamera pleaded as Mothra continued to give him Mana.

"That may be but I will still fight with every last ounce of strength I possess. You must do the same. We owe that much to our planet."

"What is left of your planet... " Ghidorah brayed as he flew behind the insect.

"Be gone!" she roared. "Leave this place at once!"

"Oh, more demands from the Queen Moth. You are powerless against me, the King of Terror! You will die if it is the last thing I do!"

"Your arrogance will cause your own demise. Your evil has prowled this planet for long enough!" Mothra proclaimed as she looked him in his eyes. Gamera weakly glanced at her in astonishment.

The protector of Earth she indeed is he thought, admiring the insect's bravery. King Ghidorah lunged forward, tired of her incessant babble. He bit onto one of her wings, ripping a fragment completely off and causing Mothra to cry out in agony. He then threw his clawed foot outward, slamming her directly in the abdomen and knocking her backwards. After getting Mothra out of the way, Ghidorah attacked Gamera. The giant turtle fearfully recoiled as his menacing shadow covered him. Suddenly, he noticed two great multi-colored wings that extended behind the ominous form. Mothra's gentle face could be seen ascending above the demon. She quickly plunged downward and grasped Ghidorah's three heads, causing him to roar maliciously. Again, scales floated down from her wings, completely covering the dragon's body. Soon, he felt a terrible burning sensation as their acidity ate through his golden hide. Ghidorah attempted to break free of Mothra's strong hold but was prevented from doing so by a sharp, shocking energy that surged through his body.

As Mothra restrained King Ghidorah, Gamera managed to muster enough energy to float upright. He leapt toward the two struggling kaiju and braced his powerful jaws around one of Ghidorah's necks, tugging at it relentlessly and ripping out chunks of flesh. Mothra began slashing with her claws, causing gaping wounds to spill the demon's steamy blood. To the guardians' surprise, Ghidorah swung his body around, knocking them both off. They quickly recovered and watched as he growled angrily at his newest wounds, withdrawing from his enemies and heading towards the Moon. He could tell that a mental conversation on this sudden turn of events was taking place between Mothra and Gamera but decided it did not matter.

As he drew closer to his destination, his foes became two tiny dots against the gem-like form of the Earth. Ghidorah turned one of his serpentine necks to inspect the pale, dead surface before him and landed in the middle of a blackened pit on the Moon's surface. He knew what this place was as he had created it. As his feet touched the surface, the entire face of the Moon began to glow a deadly shade of red.

"Look at him run!" Gamera spat. "Once a coward, forever a coward!"

"Something is different." Mothra warned, feeling a familiar sense of dread crawl down her back as the Moon turned red. Gamera growled and began to weakly boost himself towards the Earth's only natural satellite. Mothra followed more cautiously.

King Ghidorah felt the familiar invading presence of Gamera's consciousness inside his own. "You should not have come this far!" Gamera roared confidently. "You may have actually stood a chance if you had stayed back on Earth." Ghidorah let out a silent cackling laugh in mock defiance.

"You may drive me from your precious planet but I will not be defeated so easily. I will be back, whatever way you choose to look at it."

"If you insist," Gamera snarled, throwing up his head towards the stars and letting out a bellow that was forever lost in the vacuum. King Ghidorah felt a tingling sensation along his spine and began to laugh hysterically, even as all the Mana was violently drained from his body. Mothra also contributed some of her force as Gamera powered up his ultimate weapon. His chest plates suddenly shot open and a beam of such brilliance and intensity shot forth that she had to turn away. King Ghidorah was struck with the full force of the discharge, still laughing as it tore through his upper body like tissue paper. The creature was completely immersed in the Mana Beam's fiery wrath. The ungodly stream of energy struck the surface of the Moon, carving out a gigantic blackened crater in the pale surface, adding a period to Ghidorah's epigraph.

When the Mana Beam finally died down, the King of Terror was gone. There was a moment of dumbstruck silence before both Gamera and Mothra began to call out in victory. Both kaiju were too exhausted to speak further. With effort, they helped one another turn around and begin the journey back to Earth.

"Fools!" the serpentine heads shrieked in mockery. "You call me arrogant when you ignore your own arrogance. Look where it has gotten you!" Ghidorah chuckled as he twisted Mothra's words around. "You should have known your final attack in the name of Gaia would only serve to empower me. You have failed your planet, you worthless vermin!" His eyes flashed, the equivalent of a smile. "And now I will teach you a lesson!"

He became a blinding beacon of golden light as he fired all sixteen of his beams and combined them into one incredible stream of gravitic and electrical distortion. Mothra flapped her wings frantically, creating a shield of reflective scales but the blast cut through the defensive screen like an axe through butter and struck both monsters at once, creating an explosion amplified twofold by her desperate act.

The massive concussion rocked the surface of the Moon and knocked King Ghidorah flat on his back. The beast cackled with maniacal laughter, unable to rise in his own hysteria. The two guardians had been blown in opposite directions, Mothra being forced further out into space as Gamera rocketed towards the Earth. King Ghidorah finally stood up and looked off toward where the Earth goddess had gone, her fairies crying out in mental anguish at seeing her in such a helpless state.

King Ghidorah filled every area within his field of vision with his deadly gravity beams, seeking to wipe them out. The tiny priestesses had apparently fled in terror as he blasted new scars on the surface of the Moon and struck Mothra's limp body several times, knocking her about. But when he finished the seemingly endless bombardment, their song echoed even stronger in all three of his heads as he growled in frustration. Maybe some other time he would find them and put them out of their misery. For now, he had a much greater goal to accomplish.

Ghidorah set his sights on Earth once more. It was a beautiful world but beauty was something that his twisted mind no longer accepted as natural. He realized he hadn't really looked at the planet from this far out since back when he was controlled by the Xians. He shuddered with hatred as he thought of the various races that had attempted to manipulate him.

"Nobody controls the King!" Ghidorah declared as he flew confidently back towards the planet he vowed to destroy so long ago.

_The Sword of the Elias_

Mothra feared for the safety of her fairies as King Ghidorah vented his rage across their former battleground near the Moon. Now would be a good time to take care of a task that had been on their minds since the confrontation with Gudis.

Lora could not stop thinking about Zirkon's death as she and Moll rode Fairy toward the ruins of Akita. She could also feel the very heart of the Earth itself quaking. Gaia was in pain and the evil that plagued the planet was the cause.

"Moll, do you think Zirkon can be saved?" she asked, glancing at her sister mournfully. Moll was silent for a moment, trying to find the right words. The pain of the planet was weighing on her as well. She bore the brunt of it, mainly because she tried not to express her emotions. It was her solemn duty as the Fairy of Wisdom to be both wise and knowledgeable and not let her feelings get in the way of her judgment.

"It is hard to say... It depends on how much energy Mothra can provide to make the Elias Triangle function. I read in the ancient texts that it takes the power of the guardian and her avatars for it to function. That is Mothra and us. I am sorry, Lora, but I do not really have an answer to that question."

This threw Lora into an even deeper chasm of doubt, grief and depression. Moll could feel her sister's pain but chose not to possibly add to it. It is time that Lora gets a hold of herself on her own she thought.

"I do not see why we are going back for that wimp! He's dead and there is nothing we can do about it," declared Terius arrogantly as if he had no remorse whatsoever for his brother's passing. His attitude angered Lora who glared at him with hatred in her eyes. Belvera managed to catch a glimpse of her sister and was shocked to see such malice and evil from an innocent fairy of Mothra.

"Listen to yourself, you filthy Doubijin!" spat Lora as she nearly leapt off Fairy toward Terius who was on Garu Garu. He nervously recoiled, surprised by her rage. "You take that back, you pig! Say that again and you won't have a voice to say anything with!" she shouted. Suddenly, a hand slapped Lora across the face, leaving a red welt on her cheek.

"Get hold of yourself!" Moll hollered.

"Yeah..." Oberon muttered.

"Don't you say anything, you hypocrite!" Belvera warned him in no uncertain terms.

"I know this chaos is effecting all of us but we must remain strong. If we do, then the Earth has hope of survival. Oberon, Terius, you must respect Zirkon. If you would have listened to him, he would have had some great advice to present," explained Moll as she stared at their embarrassed faces. With no further exchanges, the five fairies somberly came upon the place where the trio of brave Earth monsters had battled Death Ghidorah. As they descended toward Zirkon's body, Lora quickly jumped off Fairy, even though she was still about seven feet off the ground. She ran toward her lover and knelt close to him. His face was completely cold and crystallized, yet it still retained his charming features. Lora took the triangular blue pendant from her necklace and placed it in the hilt of her sword. Immediately, it became luminescent and glowed with a beautiful radiance. She glanced up at her two sisters who stood before her.

"Please..." she begged as she gazed at them with a loving look in her eyes that nearly brought tears to Moll and Belvera.

"Why are we wasting our time? It is useless..." Terius grumbled.

"Shut up. Just watch and learn," Lora replied calmly, still looking at her sisters.

"I know I want Zirkon healed but it is also true that with more of us, we are more powerful. Shobijin and Doubijin alike. Let us use the Elias Triangle. It is the only way!" she pleaded. Moll put her hand on Lora's shoulder and knelt down beside her.

"Yes, but is it wise for Mothra to use so much-needed energy to bring him back to life? I know he is important to you but Earth is in the hands of a given few. Mothra is one of them. If she dies, we all die."

"Moll does have a point, Lora," Belvera said softly. "Mothra needs this strength to succeed." Lora bit her lip. Her sisters did not agree with her and her heart sank even deeper than before. She could feel the Earth slipping away each moment which made her even more hopeless.

"Mothra has never let us down..." she muttered as tears ran down her cheeks. The two remaining Doubijin looked at Lora, sneered and turned away as if completely disregarding her. Belvera could not help but feel a bit sorry for her sister. She could sense her troubled mind and it affected her as well. The Elias had experienced terrible trials ever since the trouble began. Lora and her loss, her own mind being invaded by Gudis and Moll's burden of trying to keep things moderated and functioning amongst the tiny women.

"Moll, Belvera, I am begging you..." Lora beseeched them as she collapsed to the ground as if the darkness of death was taking her also. Her sadness was so deep that she seemed to just whither away. Belvera finally broke down and took her pendant from her necklace and attached it to her sword. Moll soon did the same.

"I never thought I would end up saying this, Lora, but you never give up. It is a very good characteristic, in my opinion," Belvera said as she smiled warmly upon her sister. All three fairies touched their swords together. In a blazing flash of light, they merged into one large sword with all three pendants, representing Courage, Wisdom and Love. This attracted the Doubijins' attention who uneasily turned around to see what the Elias were doing.

Lora breathed a sigh of relief and gently placed the sword on Zirkon's open hand. The blade dissipated and his remaining essence shot into the air, spreading into a multitude of beautiful sparkles across the sky. The five fairies gazed upward in awe. Mothra's face formed amongst the glowing energy and looked down upon her world. It wasn't the face of Queen Mothra though, but that of Mothra Leo. This astonished the Elias. Eventually, Mothra Leo's face disappeared and blended back into the background of stars in the heavens above them. Slowly, the energy merged with Zirkon again and the crystallization vanished. As the male fairy opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Lora's sparkling eyes.

"Lora! What happened?" he whispered. The loving fairy instantly wrapped her arms around him and wept. The Doubijin could not believe what they had just seen but were joyful to see their brother alive. Not as much as Lora, but they were happy. It had to be the best thing to happen since Queen Mothra came into being. They quickly walked over to their brother and picked him up from the ground. Now on his feet, Zirkon glanced at Lora and kissed her gently. It was a moment that hadn't been seen by the Earth for thousands of years. A male and female fairy in love brought even more tears to Moll and Belvera's eyes. Belvera walked up to Zirkon and patted him on the shoulder.

"Sorry I killed you..." What she said made the congregation giggle a bit, the way she said it was rather humorous as she smiled at him.

"Your mind was in the possession of Gudis' powers. It was not your fault and I forgive you," Zirkon assured her. As Belvera glanced back at Moll, she noticed that her sister was staring up toward the sky. She then bowed her head and mumbled something to herself.

"What is it, Moll?" Her sister asked.

"It... was Mothra Leo. I thought she had died but her spirit still remains across the Earth. Seeing her again just gives me so much hope and confidence."

"She was a magnificent generation of Mothra. Her spirit had one last task to perform that benefited the Earth - the resurrection of Zirkon. With the Elias and Doubijin united, we are a powerful force," Belvera explained as she wrapped her arm around her.

"It is amazing that such terrible events can unite that which was once impossible to bring together. We must thank Mothra Leo, for she has played a major role in this. In fact, I believe that she is inside all three of us in some way. We must never forget that," whispered Moll as she continued to gaze skyward.

After savoring their moment of joy, the Elias and Doubijin mounted their steeds and departed the place that was once only the scene of death and destruction but now one of life and rebirth. Instead of allowing Queen Mothra to expend her much-needed energy, the spirit of her mother, Mothra Leo, had granted the wish of her priestesses and the world in which she once thrived: the unification of the Elias and the Doubijin through the resurrection of Zirkon.

_Oklahoma City_

People ran screaming in terror throughout the capital city which was teeming with swarming hordes of Black Scorpions. Many were either crushed, devoured or both.

The Mysterians had corralled the ravenous creatures in the central United States after they were sprung from their underground lair in New Mexico. This was the first major city they had come upon.

The National Guard was called in and troops and heavy artillery moved into position. Military archives in Mexico City detailed the last time these creatures attacked the surface world back in 1957 and told of their only weakness: A soft spot directly beneath their jaws where the underbelly began.

This became the primary target when the defense forces opened fire. The strategy worked as countless scorpions fell but more and more just kept coming. The brave soldiers trying to defend the city were soon overrun. F-22 Raptors were called in, unloading missiles on the giant insects that destroyed a great number of them but more took their place.

Suddenly, a specimen measuring at a colossal 150 meters in length appeared, snatching one of the jets out the sky as it lunged forward. After a few moments of disorientation from his sudden stop, the pilot ejected, only to come down screaming into a hungry pack of the arthropods.

Another jet closed in, dropping its payload of bombs that detonated right under the beast, knocking it on its back.

Injured but now angry, it righted itself and hurled the jet still in its grasp at the offending aircraft, bringing it down in a massive explosion.

Amid the chaos and carnage, one of the few tanks still functional on the battlefield made a suicide run directly up to the scorpion while it was reared up. It fired a shell into the already-damaged underbelly, blowing a gaping hole through its midsection. At last, the monster finally fell.

The driver felt a brief moment of satisfaction until he saw the remaining smaller scorpions beginning to surround him. He waited for their combined onslaught to pour over him but they suddenly stopped before scattering in all directions.

His confusion was only momentary as an immense shadow fell over him. A scorpion twice the size of the one he had just killed abruptly tore into the carcass of its fallen kin and proceeded to devour it.

The jets that remained airborne opened fire but this far larger creature was impervious to their missiles. The tank pilot quickly pivoted around and opened fire as well but his shot was slightly off the mark. He did manage to get its attention,

With an ear-splitting shriek that hurt the human's ears, it descended upon him. Letting out a horrified scream, he attempted to run but the gigantic arachnid quickly overtook the tank and clasped it in its pincers. Bringing it up, the heavy war machine was ripped open like a sardine can to get at the hapless human inside.

From behind the monstrosity, more of the mammoth Black Scorpions arrived to attack the city. The nightmare had only just begun.

_Allies in Combat_

Gudis flew through the night sky over the Kanto Plain where King Kong first encountered Godzilla over 30 years ago. Death Ghidorah had been slain but in the end, he was nothing but a tool, and one that could easily be replaced if he chose to. Now that Gudis had the power he needed, he decided that the time for pawns had ended. Soon, all that lived would feel his wrath. Perhaps, if he had not been so lost in thought, he would have noticed a large winged form descending out of the clouds above him.

KABOOM! Gudis was hit by a massive surge of energy and plummeted to the ground head first, tearing a fissure in the earth as he crashed downward. He pulled himself out of the soil and looked up to see Queen Mothra as she kamikazeed straight towards him, hitting with incredible force. As he went flying backwards, she fired a combination of her prism and forehead beams. His body was driven through the dirt and bedrock by the sheer force of the attack. He didn't stop until he slammed into the base of a mountain, indenting it with his impact.

You are not welcome here, monster! Queen Mothra's voice boomed inside the Gudis' head.

"Welcome? I didn't know that I needed an invitation..." he responded groggily as he tried to rise. Mothra fired again and he was pushed into the mountain, disappearing from sight. Watching from a safe distance, the Elias and the Doubijin looked on as she slowly inched towards the opening he had left. It was too quiet but suddenly, the Gudis erupted forth, directly behind her and blasting away with a combination of his eye and mouth beams. Mothra was plastered hard against the side of the uplift, directly above the hole that the Gudis' body had made. As she tried to turn, he grabbed her and slammed her head first to the ground, leaping on top and grinding her face into the earth with his hand.

The fairies watched with hearts filled with dread as they had never actually seen the Gudis before, only conversing with it telepathically. The nightmarish creature that stood before them chilled them to the core. Lora fumed with hatred, knowing that it was wrong to feel as she did but she could not help it. The Gudis had taken the one she loved with all of her heart from her.

"So you finally summoned the courage to face me, eh bug?" Gudis quipped as Mothra tried to lift her head up, only to get it driven back down as he kept her pinned. "Oh, how I have waited for this moment!" he snarled as his left arm pulsated. Just then, Mothra sent a powerful energy surge through her body and the Gudis was blown off of her. He could hear Moll's voice in his mind.

Mothra now has the strength to vanquish you, Gudis! Once and for all!

"We shall see," he hissed as he fired an arm beam which Mothra barely managed to dodge as another mountain off in the distance was leveled by the blast. She looked behind her in disbelief as did the fairies.

"How did he do that?" Lora cried out.

"I do not know..." Moll replied, just as shocked. The Gudis then slammed into the distracted deity head on and tackled her to the ground on her back, pummeling her relentlessly. He grabbed one of her wings and attempted to rip it from her body. Mothra summoned one of her previous form's powers and hit him with a chest beam that knocked the Gudis off again. As he staggered back, she sprang up, flying straight towards him and grabbing his head with her legs. Gudis was lifted off the ground as she swung around in the air and practically threw him back down to land on his head once again. Getting up, he caught a huge boulder right in the face that Mothra had thrown. As he fell, he fired off an arm beam that struck a glancing blow off her left wing. Mothra spiraled out of control and crashed down awkwardly.

Gudis strode toward her, preparing to fire again on the dazed insect but as he unleashed his eye and breath beams, Mothra wafted into the air with a quick wing flap, using her reflective powder to send an augmented version of the attack right back at him. The explosion sent the Gudis rolling. He then took to the air and the two powerhouses engaged in an aerial dogfight, exchanging beams back and forth. Gudis got in close and connected with a spinning uppercut kick in mid-air, sending the insect spiraling off into the distance. Mothra retaliated when she flew back, slamming into the Gudis and pushing him into the upper stratosphere by using her Energy Touch attack at the same time.

The Gudis was far from helpless and brought his tentacles forth to pound and batter her. A point-blank shot of his eye beams to Mothra's right wing tore a nasty rip in it and she began to lose altitude. The two kaiju separated as they veered back around and crashed into each other head on, sending both falling to the ground.

Gudis got up first and prepared to fire one of his arm beams as Mothra lifted off the ground, using her reflective powder to catch and channel it. The power was almost too much as she sent it back but it was like the recoil of firing an elephant gun and she went flying backwards. The Gudis' eyes got big as saucers as his amplified blast plowed into him like a freight train. He flew a good mile before crashing into the same mountain that he had been put into earlier, totally obliterating it this time.

"She did it!" Lora screamed excitedly.

"Don't be so sure yet," Belvera warned as Moll looked on with a defiant sneer. Queen Mothra managed to glide towards the pile of rubble where the Gudis rose with a defiant roar.

"How can that thing still live after that?" Oberon cried out in disbelief.

"Gaia preserve us!" Terius muttered in shock. The Gudis, to the horror of all, had completely regenerated all the damage that had been done to him.

"A minor inconvenience," he snarled as he stepped out of the ruined mountain and strode towards Mothra.

"Moll, how is this possible? The Gudis cannot absorb Mothra's attacks or anything that is connected to Gaia so how is it doing this?" Lora asked in bewilderment.

"It is something that I can sense within the Gudis. One of the creatures he has assimilated has given him the power to regenerate practically any injury and even bring him back from the brink of death. The Gudis that Mothra Taros faced did not have a fraction of the power that it possesses now. I did not anticipate this..." she explained regretfully.

Mothra fired her prism beam but Gudis jumped over it, rolling up into his dreaded carapace ball-slam attack to crash down right on top of her. As she lay quivering from the impact, he wrapped his long tail around her neck and swung her in the air, then drilled her back down head first into the ground with tremendous force. Gudis blasted her with his eye beams and breath ray once more as she went skidding across the landscape.

"The time has come, champion of Gaia! Your death is at hand!" the Gudis proclaimed as he walked towards her with both arm beams at the ready. The prone Mothra summoned one of her last abilities and a glowing flutter of spores suddenly emanated from her body and drifted over to the Gudis. A green vine also sprang forth, wrapping around its right leg.

"What is this?" he pondered aloud, ripping free. As he tried to advance, another grabbed his left arm. The Gudis angrily tore loose and tried to keep moving. More appeared in seconds; hundreds of roots, vines and other manner of vegetation rising up from the ground all around him. The vile monster swiped, clawed and fired his beams but there were too many to fend off all at once and he quickly became overwhelmed. The Gudis brought forth his own tentacles to try and retaliate but for each of his, there were at least five or six vines to hold it down. Soon, he was completely entangled and unable to move as he shrieked and roared angrily. Close to a dozen vines with sharp pointed ends rose up directly in front of him, moving almost like snakes as they bobbed and weaved back and forth. They impaled the Gudis and came out his back as he howled in pain and rage.

Now you will know Gaia's true power, Gudis! Mothra said telepathically. It was then that he felt something happening within himself. The vines lodged in his body began to sprout and grow as they twisted, tore and crushed his insides. Caked in his blood, they burst out from every part of his body. His eyes were gouged out from the inside by two protruding branches as his body began to contort and swell beyond its physical means. The Gudis brought forth great reserves of strength as he concentrated intensely. He would not be felled so easily.

Suddenly, an incredible shockwave of energy emanated from his body, completely incinerating the vegetation that was penetrating and shrouding him. Mothra was also hit by it and went flying, crashing down nearby. The Gudis sat down, regenerating his insides and sealing up his wounds. He soon rose and lifted both arms to fire his uber-beams at Mothra. She managed to spring up and open her wings as she tried to use her reflective power again but this time, the force was far too much. A terrible explosion resulted, sending her flying back and landing with a thud.

The Gudis walked up to the badly injured imago and looked down at her with contempt. Her once beautiful wings had massive pieces torn from them, along with large, gaping holes. The rest of her body was badly burned with severe bleeding in several places. He gave Mothra a stiff kick as she managed to utter a tiny squeal of misery.

"Get up! After all your pompous self-righteous platitudes, this surely can't be all you can do to challenge me?" the Gudis snarled. But there was no response. Mothra was beaten. "This is it? This is the incredible force of goodness that was supposed to vanquish me? Pathetic!" he roared. He then turned towards where the Elias and Doubijin were standing and addressed Moll telepathically.

This is it? This is your great champion? I expected a battle like no other I have ever had in the ten billion years that I have existed and I get this? Tell me, foolish fairy... Where are your threats, where are your promises, where is your courage and defiance now? he snarled. Moll had no answer. She was in a state of complete and utter shock as they had truly underestimated the Gudis' power.

"It can not end this way!" Lora screamed. "You were supposed to die, you monster!" The Gudis laughed as he tilted his head back before continuing his tirade.

"I have experienced your kind of death a hundred times over and yet, here I stand. Tell me, insects... How does your defeat taste? Where is your arrogance and stubborn pride now, fools?" he howled as tears started to stream down Lora's face. "Say goodbye to your so-called goddess, vermin!" he hissed as he lifted his right arm to fire a beam at Mothra. The fairies looked on in horror. At this range, she could not possibly survive the attack.

Suddenly, a laser shot in from the Gudis' right and his outstretched arm was sliced off at the elbow. With a gasp of surprise, the fairies and the Gudis quickly looked over in the direction the shot had come from. Standing nearby were Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus. A series of explosions detonated on the Gudis' back, compliments of Gamera who stood behind him. Beams rained down from above as the newly-rebuilt and revamped Gigan came in for a landing. Nearby, a raspy hiss signified Manda's presence as he sat coiled up like a cobra, ready to strike.

"Hi, there," a deep voice called out. Gudis turned to get punched in the face by Megalon's massive drill. Staggering backwards, he could see the GOTENGO overhead as well. The United World Powers Alliance had arrived.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? So you have all come to challenge me, eh? I must admit that I am quite flattered," the Gudis stated, regenerating his damaged head as he was surrounded on all sides.

"Your reign of terror ends here, loathsome devil!" Manda hissed.

"In layman's terms, that means we're here to kick your butt," Gamera growled.

"Hey, looks like this is going to be a fun party but where's the booze?" Gigan joked.

"After we kill him," Megalon retorted. The Elias felt a wave of relief rush over them now that their friends and allies had arrived.

At G-FORCE headquarters, the UWP leaders had gathered to bear witness to what they hoped would be the final destruction of Gudis.

"So this is what it comes down to," Argon said softly as he beheld the incredible combined group of kaiju and constructs that stood on the battlefield.

"The time has come for this blasphemous entity to pay for its crimes!" King Antonio proclaimed. General Aso looked worried and hoped they would be enough to stop the Gudis once and for all. Someone else who shared the General's concern was Fumio Subo who, despite secretly despising the mere notion of uniting with the others, realized that the Gudis possibly posed the greatest threat to the Nebulans' plans for the Earth and must be dealt with.

The UWP were not the only ones watching. From their respective command centers and bases, the Kilaaks and the Space Force Directive bore witness to this titanic battle unfolding as well. They knew that in order for their plans to come to fruition, the Gudis would have to be stopped. All eyes, both human and extraterrestrial, were on Japan as the epic confrontation like no other ever witnessed was about to take place.

Megalon initiated the attack, charging in and swinging away with his drills but Gudis ducked, dodged and side-stepped as he hit the over-sized beetle with a nasty uppercut, sending him flying backwards. Gamera fired off a volley of point-blank plasma fireballs as he closed the gap between them. At arm's reach, he unsheathed his elbow spurs for a flurry of jabs but the Gudis blocked the strikes with his armored forearms and absorbed the energy before hitting the Atlantean guardian with a massive blast made up of the plasma fire and his own power. Gamera went soaring through the air and landed hard, practically comatose from the power of the attack.

Suddenly, a clawed grappling hook wrapped around the Gudis' neck and Gigan wrenched him off the ground and through the air. He slammed him back down onto the ground, head first. As Gudis got back up, he gave a solid jerk on the chain that brought Gigan hurtling towards him. He held his arm out, clothes-lining the cyborg hard and flipping him head over heels.

Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus attacked simultaneously with a preprogrammed tandem offense. They hit the Gudis with a series of perfectly-timed punches, kicks and chops as they slowly forced the monstrosity back. Gudis fired both of his arm beams, sending them flying for at least two miles.

Manda struck next, lunging forward and latching his jaws around the Gudis' throat while wrapping him up in his constricting coils. Even with his freakish strength, Gudis could not break the guardian's grip and started to cough up blood from the damage being done by the Muuvian serpent. The alien virus fired off his arm beams but with his limbs firmly constricted against his sides, a massive explosion blew a gaping hole in the earth beneath them which the combatants fell into.

"Captain, shouldn't we be joining the attack?" one of the bridge officers aboard the GOTENGO asked.

"It's all about timing, rookie. I'll give the word when the time is right," Captain Gordon assured him. A few moments later, a stunned Manda came flying out of the ground and landed in a heap nearby as the Gudis flew back into the fray. Megalon was ready and spear-tackled the behemoth in mid-air. The Gudis flipped the Seatopian protector over the top of him and sprang back up, firing his eye, breath and arm blasts in all directions, scattering his antagonists.

The kaiju tried to attack in unison and converged on the alien menace. Gigan went for a claw swipe but the Gudis side-stepped and planted an elbow into the back of his head. Gamera charged in again but his target leaped over him while dodging a swing from Megalon. At this exact moment, Manda sprang forward, barely missing the Gudis' face with his snapping jaws but as his long, snake-like body soared by, Gudis grabbed it by the tail and swung him around, wrapping the serpent around Gamera's neck and swinging them both into Gigan.

Megalon tried to gore the Gudis with his now-spinning drills but got side-stepped, grabbed and judo-thrown into the onrushing Titanosaurus as he and Mechagodzilla rejoined the battle. Mechagodzilla touched down, unloading a round of plasma missiles directly into the Gudis who retaliated with both his arm beams. The robot's force field was overloaded by the nightmarish power. As it exploded, the titanium terror went flying back once again. His plasma missiles detonated and the Gudis shrieked in agony as his regeneration fought against the highly corrosive compound affecting his body.

Titanosaurus swung his tail into the Gudis' legs from behind, causing him to fall. Gigan tried to come down on top of him with his chest saw engaged but the Gudis managed to roll out of the way at the last second and back-handed him, throwing the cyborg into Titanosaurus before dodging a simultaneous swing from either side by Megalon and Gamera. He leaped over Gamera's attack and came back down, bending over backwards to avoid Megalon's charge. Gudis grabbed the beetle-like kaiju and release-suplexed him into Gamera. As both guardians went rolling, he caught Mechagodzilla in a mid-air lunge and power-slammed him down. Getting up, Gudis spun around and jumped, simultaneously tornado-kicking an incoming Gigan, back-handing Manda and tail-sweeping Titanosaurus in one fluid, flawless motion.

The Elias and Doubijin watched with a looming sense of dread. Was there nothing that could stop this demon?

"This is insane! How can he be fighting them all off at once like this?" Nanbara bellowed in disbelief.

"Perhaps if we had taken notice sooner and attacked him before he became this powerful, we wouldn't be in this situation now," the Captain mused. Just then, the massed kaiju tried a different kind of combined attack and encircled the Gudis, opening fire with all their projectile weaponry at once. Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus unloaded everything they had while Gigan fired his eye beam, Megalon used his horn beam and napalm pods and Gamera let loose with one plasma fireball volley after another.

"Open fire. Now!" Gordon ordered as the GOTENGO fired its drill beam, laser cannons and homing missiles in conjunction with the kaijus' arsenal. The combined assault forced the Gudis to his knees but he surged up with a terrible roar and sent another incredible energy shockwave off his body, grounding everyone on the battlefield. The only thing unaffected was the great ship which had been out of range.

"Fire freeze maser now!" Gordon ordered frantically. The ice beam shot forth from the drill tip, striking the Gudis dead on and freezing him solid. "Alright! Now finish him off!" he commanded as they zeroed in with the drill engaged. Mere seconds before the ship reached him, the Gudis suddenly exploded free of his icy prison. "Keep going!" The GOTENGO drilled straight into the Gudis before he had time to react. The towering behemoth bellowed in pain as the ship gored his torso and powered into him, pieces of muscles, organs and spinal column exploding out of his back as the monster fell to his knees with the great ship lodged in his body.

"Fire missiles now!"

"But sir! At this range, it could destroy us!"

"I said fire, damn it!" Gordon bellowed. The ordnance flew upward, then arched back down to impact on the Gudis with a series of explosions that caused damage to the ship as well as its target. Angrily, the Gudis got a firm grip on the GOTENGO and strained against its engines that were pushing him back. He then pointed his head down, blasting it with his eye beams. The destructive energy detonated across the hull, causing even more damage as several explosions and fires erupted within.

"Taking heavy damage, sir!" Nanbara reported before a control panel explosion knocked him out cold. The Gudis then heaved the vessel out of himself, hoisting it up above his head before throwing it through the air.

"We're going down, sir!" the Tactical Officer screamed.

"Brace for impact!" Gordon shouted as the GOTENGO crashed down and skidded to a halt. The Gudis leaned forward in his kneeling position and waited for his regeneration to close the gaping hole in his body as bone, sinew, organs and muscles reconstituted.

"Infinitesimal, detestable, insignificant microbes! Do you not know death when you see it?" he seethed with rage as he stood up.

At G-FORCE headquarters, everyone watched the scene unfolding before them in utter mortification. Was there no hope? At least the other combatants were starting to stir again. Mechagodzilla lunged at the Gudis, hitting him with a series of punches. Having learned of the Kong/MOGERA threat, both Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus' anti-gravity generators had been given non-conductive armor shielding to protect them against power surges and overloads. Mechagodzilla was a mech possessed as it laid into the viral monster like a Muay Tai kick-boxer.

The Gudis tried to connect with physical strikes of his own but couldn't lay a tentacle on the fast-moving, agile war machine. Mechagodzilla somersaulted and unloaded another round of plasma missiles as he passed overhead. He then hit Gudis with a second salvo after landing behind him. When the abomination spun around, he got a third round, this time of impaler missiles that stabbed into his body on impact. The Gudis grew angry and used the mastery of his body to actually force the impalers out. They shot off in all directions like shrapnel as Mechagodzilla leaped over the Gudis again.

Gudis went on the attack and unloaded a devastating punch and kick combination while at the same time, lashing out with his tentacles, pushing the mech back as it blocked and deflected each strike with amazing speed. But what Mechagodzilla didn't notice amidst the writhing flurry of limbs was the Gudis' tail as it snaked around behind him to wrap around his left foot. The Gudis proceeded to slam the robot repeatedly onto the ground again and again before bringing him down right in front of him. As Mechagodzilla got up, trying to re-stabilize its internal gyroscopes, the Gudis connected with a punch that caved in the side of its head, affecting the internal circuitry. Without his force field, Mechagodzilla was helpless against the Gudis' brutal assault. Another punch dented his chest and sent him flying backwards. Gudis compounded the damage with a blast of his eye beams as the robot went down, off line and out of the fight.

"Oohhh, that's a shame... Hope it has a good warranty," Gudis joked sadistically as he turned to face off against the quick-charging Gamera. "Oh, yay! Everyone's favorite turtle with an under-bite!" he jibed.

"If you want to stand there and crack jokes while I rip out your spine, go right ahead," the Atlantean construct replied.

"So which one are you? Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello or Raphael?" Gudis went on as the two began to spar. At one point, Gudis punched his right hand through Gamera's armored belly, ripping out what looked to be an internal organ of some kind. "Hey, this looks important!" Gudis laughed hysterically.

In pain but also angry, Gamera abruptly punched his left hand into Gudis' open maw, ripping his tongue out before kicking him squarely in the crotch, then slicing his right elbow spur across his neck and cutting his jugular vein. The creature's blood splattered across Gamera's face as he capped this series of strikes with a backwards spin that put his left elbow blade into the side of Gudis head, flipping him over and smashing his skull sideways into a rock on the ground which shattered from the impact. Gamera quickly reached down with his right claw, ripping the skin from Gudis' face and then blasting the exposed epidermis with a point-blank fireball.

"You are not funny so just shut up and die!" Gamera snarled, standing over Gudis. The alien virus quickly sat back up, regenerating as he hit him with a massive energy ball consisting of the plasma fire and his own power as well. Unconscious, Gamera went tumbling and rolled to a stop. As the Gudis turned around, he was ambushed by Gigan who darted in from the side. He flew by, slicing the Gudis' right arm off at the shoulder with his chest saw before making a roundhouse swing with his right arm which the Gudis stopped with his left.

"I didn't need that arm anyway," he snarled as he ripped Gigan's off. "How about you?" He then stabbed it into the side of Gigan's neck as the cyborg plummeted back down. When the Gudis landed to regenerate his arm, Gigan fired his eye beam. The ray spider-webbed apart and exploded onto the mutant's body but the Gudis absorbed this attack and sent it back through his own eye beams. Gigan's other arm was blown off but he bum-rushed the Gudis, activating his chest saw again. It bit deep into the monster's torso as the juggernaut shrieked in pain and fury. In angry retaliation, he hit Gigan with a point-blank shot of his eye beams, backing him up before back-handing his head off. The now headless and armless cyborg finally fell over.

Manda tried to lunge from behind but Gudis spun around, catching him in mid-air and proceeded to crack his body like a giant whip across the ground, knocking the serpent out cold.

Recovering, Titanosaurus unloaded with his weaponry. His laser cutter sliced off Gudis' legs at the knees which put the freakish beast down. The cyborg then deployed his cluster torpedo which spread out and detonated, obscuring the Gudis' body in smoke. Long moments passed as Titanosaurus waited for any signs of movement. Suddenly, one of the Gudis' arm beams shot forth. Titanosaurus tried to engage his forcefield, only to realize that it no longer worked, having been knocked off line by the Gudis' earlier shock wave. He quickly switched to his reflector dish but too late as the power was far too great. It literally melted the dish and sent a feedback power surge that shut him down. Titanosaurus toppled over as Megalon slowly regained his senses and realized that he now was the only functioning fighter left on the battlefield.

"And then there was one..." the Gudis said menacingly as he slowly moved towards his quarry. In the meantime, the crew of the GOTENGO had managed to get their viewscreens and scanners working but the image that came up wasn't a promising one.

"My god..." Gordon exclaimed with a shudder as he realized that all the other kaiju had been beaten and Megalon was the only one left standing. The Seatopian guardian blasted Gudis with both his horn beam and explosive pods but the alien just walked through the barrage as if it were nothing. Megalon got both of his drills going as the Gudis drew closer. When the viral abomination opened fire, the guardian took to the air and then dove back down, burrowing into the earth. As the Gudis searched his surroundings, Megalon listened intently, being able to pick up the slightest surface vibrations.

From a large rock formation, the guardian suddenly exploded forth, driving his right drill into the side of his face. Not giving the Gudis any time to react, he slapped his drills together as one and burrowed into his chest below the sternum, arcing upward and pushing into the demon's torso. Reacting in pain and frustration, the Gudis sent his tentacles forth. They wrapped around the beetle kaiju as the Gudis fired his breath ray, badly burning Megalon's face.

He spit out a napalm pod right into the open part of the Gudis' skull which hadn't fully regenerated yet. It blew his head apart. Both kaiju fell over and the Gudis' tentacles went limp as Megalon pulled his blood-soaked and entrail-covered drills free and untangled himself. He crawled a few meters away, trying to clear his hazy vision while the Gudis quickly regenerated.

Megalon got back up and turned around just in time to catch a solid right fist directly between the eyes that sent him flying back, slamming into another rock formation as the back of his head hit hard, putting him in a daze as he fell. The Gudis strode forward, his face and chest still sealing back up. Megalon was grabbed by the throat and lifted up off the ground.

"Get us up and moving. Now!" Gordon ordered desperately.

"It's no good, sir! The damage is too extensive to repair in such a short time frame."

"And the Seatopians worship you as a god? Please! Don't make me laugh!" Gudis ridiculed his captive.

"And what do you expect me to do? Beg for mercy?" Megalon grunted as he was being strangled but still trying to fight against the Gudis' death grip.

"That would be good for starters," the Gudis grinned.

"Pitiful parasite! I will give you no such satisfaction! It doesn't matter how powerful you are, even if you can crush me in an instant. I do not fear you and I never will!" Megalon gurgled, choking on his own blood.

"Blah, blah, blah, blah! You're putting me to sleep over here! I should make your death extra slow just for being so damn annoying!" the Gudis sneered. Just then, something caught his attention as he looked over to where Mothra lay. She was glowing. While the Gudis had been battling the other defenders, she was given precious time to heal and now rose up with renewed strength and looking seriously pissed.

"Put... him... Down!" she ordered in a commanding tone.

"So, you have gotten a second wind, eh? Good. I was hoping you wouldn't be such a push-over. But you do realize that this is still going to end the same way? Alone, you do not have the power to stop me," the Gudis gloated, choking Megalon all the while.

"Perhaps I don't but what you fail to realize is that I am not alone," she proclaimed proudly as a strange energy began to rise up from her body and take on the shape of Battra and Biollante. Gudis finally threw Megalon aside and ventured closer. It was their spirits - their primal lifeforces manifesting themselves for all to see. Their characteristic roars could be heard echoing across the landscape as Mothra's chirps joined their chorus.

"Moll! Look! Do you see it?" Lora stammered.

"Yes, I do! I can feel them!"

"Unbelievable..." Belvera muttered.

"Aren't they supposed to be dead?" the Gudis asked Mothra with annoyance.

"Hope never dies!" she stated boldly as her own energy combined with that of her brother and sister. It began to coalesce and swirl together as they formed an immense energy ball augmenting the combined strength of Biollante, Battra and Mothra. It shot forth like a raging maelstrom, hitting the Gudis with unimaginable force and power. The resulting explosion sent his flaming body flying into the upper stratosphere until he finally crashed down somewhere on the eastern coast of Russia above North Korea, over 500 miles away where his body plummeted deep into the ground.

The Elias and Doubijin fell to their knees. Lora, Moll and even Belvera were shedding tears of joy as the Doubijin were left speechless by what they had just seen.

"Incredible," Gordon murmured in awe. "Status report?" he finally asked, snapping back to reality after beholding the unbelievable spectacle.

"Engines are still off line, sir."

"And the Gudis?"

"Out of range, Captain."

"And the kaiju... What about them?"

"The mechs are all off line. Don't know the extent of their damage but all the monsters are still alive, sir."

"Good. Hopefully, with time they will all be able to heal their wounds," Captain Gordon said optimistically.

Back at the UWP headquarters, everyone was in a state of shock, not sure what to say or how to feel. Was this a victory? Was the Gudis finally dead? What were the conditions of their respective kaiju and cyborgs? Fumio cursed silently under his breath at the crippling damage Gigan had sustained. It had by far fared worse than anything else in the brutal battle.

"Is that it? Is the Gudis really gone now?" Bordu finally asked.

"I do not know... I would think no living creature could survive such an attack but I just don't know..." Argon replied. King Antonio and the Mu Empress were relieved that their people's protectors had survived the terrible ordeal.

"I will tell you one thing. If it is not dead, we are all in a world of hurt," General Aso warned.

In the country once known as the U.S.S.R., miles deep within the planet, the charred, mutilated and dismembered remains of the Gudis lay unmoving. The attack that Queen Mothra had used was unlike anything he had ever been hit with before.

But as the morbid ravager sat in his new tomb, tiny spores began to slowly stir upon its being. The injuries the Gudis had endured were beyond comprehension but he was not dead. There was no way of knowing exactly how long it would take but eventually, one way or another, the Gudis would rise again.

_Gigan's Return_

At their secret base, Viceroy Kubota was attempting to get Fumio Subo's attention despite his foul mood. "Whatever it is, Kubota, it will have to wait."

"But I assure you that you will be pleasantly surprised, Chairman, if you will simply allow me but a moment to explain. I think we can improve your disposition, sir."

"Improve my disposition? Our ultimate weapon just got reduced to scrap by the Gudis and you think that you are going to improve my disposition!"

"Yes, I do," Kubota boldly stated as he stepped aside, stretching out his arm to encourage Fumio to proceed him. The still-flustered and angry Nebulan tromped down the hallway but soon realized where they were heading. Fumio stopped and turned towards him.

"Why are we going to the Construction Bay? If you are going to show me the damage report for Gigan, you do not have to bother because I have already seen it."

"I know that, sir. I have something else in mind," he informed him as he motioned the Chairman to keep going. Frustrated, Fumio proceeded with Kubota right behind him. The doors opened to reveal Gigan back in his dock mounts with several crews working on him.

"You are going to rebuild him again? Just so some other uber-juggernaut can tear him apart?" Fumio asked sarcastically.

"We knew going into this that Gigan was going to be over-powered by a lot of the beings he would be facing so logic dictated that if you do not have a weapon as powerful as everyone else's..." Kubota trailed off as he walked up behind Fumio and placed his hands on his shoulders, turning him toward another part of the bay. "...You make sure that you have plenty of spare parts." In a separate dock were a brand new pair of arms but these were equipped with twin chainsaws. In another cradle, a new tail with a large robotic claw was being prepared for installation as well.

"This is amazing, Kubota!"

"It gets better, sir. We are also installing other new weapons, giving him a far stronger focused singular eye beam and placing mechanisms in his shoulders that will launch razor-sharp homing disks to seek out any target they are fired at and then return. Gigan will be up and running again in no time and more powerful than ever."

"Excellent!" Fumio declared with an almost devilish smile as he rubbed his hands together.

_Revelations_

In the G-FORCE hangar bay, a work crew departed from the GOTENGO after performing extensive repairs to the ship. The Muuvians had been assigned by the Empress for maintenance of the ship as needed. Captain Gordon offered his thanks and a handshake to each of them as they descended the gangplank, something he always did when repairs to the ship were completed. As he came aboard to give the work a once-over, he spotted one technician he had never seen before still on the bridge, bent over the helm controls.

"Is there something wrong?" he inquired.

"No, Captain. Just performing some last-minute diagnostics," the mechanic replied. Gordon looked on as he punched a few buttons and then closed his tool box.

"There. All done, sir," he said nonchalantly, stepping past the Captain and heading for the exit. As he departed, Gordon watched him for a moment before also leaving the ship and not giving him any further thought.

Queen Mothra was flying off the coast of Honshu when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye and moved in to investigate. As she drew closer, she could see that it was the GOTENGO. It flashed a bright beacon as some form of signal at her and then turned, igniting its engines and taking off at full speed. She was confused as to what exactly was going on but figured that the ship wanted her to follow it.

Had the Gudis returned? Was it another threat, perhaps? she wondered. Whatever the problem was, Mothra decided to find out.

At G-FORCE headquarters in the main conference room, King Antonio stared out one of the many panoramic windows, lost in thought. A few moments later, Commander Argon entered the room.

"Am I disturbing you, your majesty?" he asked.

"What? Oh, no. Not at all," the King assured him.

"I just wanted to let you know that we are due for another briefing in a few minutes."

"Ah, yes, I remember. Thank you, Commander. I will join the rest of the group shortly." Argon nodded and was about to leave. "Commander?"

"Yes, your highness?"

"How did it feel?"

"How did what feel?"

"The realization that your world was doomed. Back when you still lived there." Argon paused for a moment as if unsure how to answer. "I am sorry. I should not have brought up such a painful subject. I apologize for asking and retract my question immediately," Antonio said with remorse and a hint of embarrassment as he lowered his head.

"No, it is all right. I don't mind talking about it. I was simply trying to find the proper words to use, your majesty. The truth is, 'surreal' would be how it initially felt. You wake up in the morning and look out at the beautiful sunshine and don't want to believe that the end is coming. You wish that it wasn't, that it is all just some terrible nightmare that you're going to wake up from at any moment."

"But it is not," the King figured, looking intently at the Simeon officer.

"No, your highness."

"I can not help but wonder... if that is what we are facing..."

"You are referring to the Gudis?"

"What else? The combined forces of our mightiest kaiju and machines challenged him and he still nearly destroyed us all. If it had not been for that miraculous attack by Mothra..."

"We would probably all be dead right now," Argon completed his thought.

"...Yes."

"The Gudis is dead but what happens now? We defeat one monstrous threat just to have to deal with others waiting in line to wipe us out. What then? Is Earth facing the same fate that befell your homeworld?" the aged Seatopian ruler pressed on.

"I wish I knew, King Antonio. But whatever our fate may be, we will face it with courage and determination. If we do fall, it will not be because we surrendered. It is better to die on our feet than live on our knees," Argon asserted.

"Indeed, Commander. I could not agree more!" the King stated with pride.

Meanwhile…

"What do you mean, it's off line? The repair crew just finished with it!" Gordon exploded when he returned to the GOTENGO's hangar.

"There's some kind of virus in the CPU. It's causing all kinds of havoc!"

"Well, fix it! Things are way too tense to have something like this happen now!"

"Sir, this isn't a five minute tune-up! It's going to take me HOURS to purge this thing from the system!"

"Who in the hell is responsible for this?" the Captain roared. Then it hit him. He thought back to the lone repairman he had not recognized. One could swear that a blood vessel was about to burst in Gordon's face as it turned beet red with anger. "What other options do we have?"

"The JSDF is on stand-by..."

"What about Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus?"

"Still being repaired after battling the Gudis, sir."

"Damn it! Well, if anyone has any other ideas on how to deal with this, now is the time to speak up."

At the Nebulan base, everything seemed to be in order. "And the Muuvian we paid to sabotage the GOTENGO was successful?"

"Yes, Chairman," Kubota assured him.

"Has he already been dealt with?"

"Yes, sir. Dead men tell no tales."

"Excellent. And our agent at G-FORCE headquarters?"

"The Garogan capsule kaiju that we stole from the Simeon base is in position. He is stationed nearby and awaiting further orders."

"Splendid. And what of Mothra?"

"She has just now reached the target area, sir."

"Good. Tell our team to pull out immediately. Alert the agent to trigger the capsule and return to base immediately," Fumio ordered.

"Very good, sir." Kubota sent out a radio signal from the panel in front of him to the waiting spy.

Mothra had followed the GOTENGO over the open sea until they reached an uninhabited island where it came to a dead stop in the air. Several miles above her position, a Nebulan shuttle shut down its holographic generator and took off at top speed. Down below, the false image of the warship suddenly vanished. Mothra tilted her head sideways in bewilderment.

"Now!" Fumio ordered. Kubota pressed a button that fired the Nebulan satellite's orbiting laser weapon, the ray coming down in a wide beam where Mothra was hovering. She didn't even have time to realize what was happening when it hit and drove her deep into the earth.

In another part of Japan, the Elias could sense that something horrible had befallen Gaia's champion. "Moll!" Lora cried out, suddenly overcome by a wave of nausea.

"I know. I can feel it too."

"Something has happened to Mothra!" Lora exclaimed.

"What? What is happening?" Oberon asked frantically as Terius, looked on.

"Something terrible," Belvera explained calmly but with obvious worry in her voice.

"We must go now!" Moll decided.


	13. On The Home Front

In Tokyo, the Garogan capsule exploded and a massive shrieking and roaring monstrosity suddenly appeared, charging directly towards G-FORCE headquarters.

"Where is Fumio?" King Antonio asked the assembled United World Powers members. Before anyone could reply, the building was rammed by the monster. "What in the name of Zeus?" he shouted as the entire complex was rocked by the impact.

The other representatives were caught by surprise as well, looking about in confusion as soldiers arrived to attempt to subdue the beast. Their sidearms were useless against the 90-meter kaiju which continued forward undaunted. It smashed its fists through the roof of the main conference room, causing a massive section of the ceiling to give way. At the last possible second, Nanbara was able to knock Commander Argon out of the way but got struck.

"Nanbara! NO!" Argon roared as he leapt back up and attempted to move a heavy girder that pinned the brave human. The UWP members and several other personnel attempted to assist him but more of the building was giving way, threatening to cave in and crush them all.

"Commander, we have to get out of here!" General Aso yelled to him.

"I'm not leaving him here!" Argon screamed back.

"Commander, please!" Queen Fimetreous implored.

"You can't save him! And if you don't evacuate with us, you will die as well!" the Prime Minister bellowed.

"No! I can't just let..." A sharp blow to the head from General Aso ended Argon's protests. Unconscious, he was quickly rushed out of the rapidly collapsing building. The monster prepared to strike another powerful blow when a spinning half-drill exploded out of the front of his chest from behind. As it was wrenched back out, the creature fell over to the side and the towering form of Megalon was revealed. The Seatopian guardian had opted to remain close by wherever King Antonio went in case just such an assassination was attempted.

The threat was over. For now. But meanwhile Fumio couldn't have been more pleased.

"Well done, Kubota! Mothra was one of the few kaiju that I did not fancy Gigan having to go up against one-on-one but that is not an issue anymore. Finally, things are starting to fall into place. Once we wrap up affairs here, we can proceed to address the threats posed by alien forces elsewhere on the planet."

"What if there are survivors among the alliance after the G-FORCE assault, Chairman?"

"Then we will implement back-up plans - after I express my deep and heartfelt condolences for those who did not survive, of course," Fumio said with a wicked grin that Kubota also shared.

At a nearby hospital, Captain Gordon ran as fast as he could, practically mowing down anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. When he arrived at his destination, he found all of the UWP leaders present. Directed to the proper room, he slowly stepped towards the bed where the badly injured Nanbara lay and knelt down beside it, clasping his First Officer's hand. Most of the bones in his body had been crushed, along with several organs. There had also been massive internal bleeding. Amazingly, he was still alive when the rescue crews were finally able to get him out of the wreckage but it was obvious that he did not have long to live.

"I - Is everyone sa - safe?" he rasped, barely able to speak.

"Yes. You did yourself, me and your country proud, Nanbara," Gordon assured him, trying hard not to be overwhelmed by his emotions.

"G - good. I - I wa - want you to know wha - what I did was... my... choice," he whispered, obviously in distress. Gordon simply nodded as he struggled to say what he had to. "I wa - want yo - you to know, Ca - Captain. I have n - no... regrets. A - and tha - that I... I wou - would do - it all over again if... I, ha - had the chance."

"I know, soldier. I know. You are, without a shadow of a doubt, the best damned First Officer I have ever served with or ever will." Nanbara struggled to smile at his boss.

Commander Argon stepped forward into his line of sight. "You saved my life. I don't know what to say other than thank you. I owe you my life and this is a debt that I will never be able to repay." His heart filled with sorrow and regret but also pride at the human's selfless bravery.

"Y-you owe me no-nothing... Commander. My br-brother always s-said that your race was a bunch of... of vile murderersss who di-did not deserve t-to live. I-I am glad to s-see that he wa-was wrong about some of you. I-it was an ho-honor, Comm-Co-Commander." Nanbara coughed and wheezed as he struggled to get the words out. Then his hand went limp and slipped from Gordon's grasp. The alliance members bowed their heads in mourning for their fallen comrade as Fumio arrived and stood in the doorway.

"Please allow me to offer my condolences at the passing of one of the bravest soldiers I have ever met," he offered the Commander of the GOTENGO. Gordon slowly turned in his direction with a look of utter hatred and rage on his face. He suddenly lunged, hitting Fumio with a right hook directly to the temple that knocked him to the floor.

"You son of a bitch! I know you had something to do with this! You weren't there when it happened!" he seethed, reaching down for him as several orderlies and security personnel quickly restrained enraged officer.

"Have you gone mad, you ignorant Neanderthal!" Fumio snarled, holding his hand to his head as everyone looked on in shock.

"Captain! What is the meaning of this?" General Aso demanded.

"As God is my witness, I swear I will kill you! Do you hear me?" Gordon roared at Subo.

"Get him out of here and detain him immediately!" the General ordered. Captain Gordon was dragged away, kicking and screaming.

Shortly afterwards, Fumio was leaving a doctor's office where he had attended a cut left by Gordon's punch. Turning a corner, he found Commander Argon standing before him.

"Commander... Can I help you?" Fumio asked, somewhat startled but quickly recovering his poise.

"There is more to you than meets the eye, Mister Subo."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" the now leery alien hissed.

"Everyone else may buy your little act but I don't."

"What? Are you going to assault me as well?' Fumio grinned sarcastically.

"Oh, no. I know that would play right into your hands and I have no intention of doing that," Argon assured him.

"I do not know what you THINK you know but I can assure you that you are mistaken in your assumptions about me, Commander."

"What I know is that your ancestors kept mine firmly pressed under their collective heel."

"I am afraid your recollection of history is rather skewed. My forbearers saved you from your true slave masters."

"Saved? Indeed. Your race treated us worse than the Borans ever did. The Earthlings have a saying: 'out of the frying pan, into the fire'. But we rebelled against you and took back our lives and our way of life."

"Way of life?" Fumio asked in contempt. "What way of life? Your race was never supposed to exist in the first place! Your people were not a product of evolution or natural selection. You were a science experiment of the Borans, nothing more. Your true ancestors are still here on this planet, swinging from trees and stuffing their faces with bananas," Fumio finished, his obvious disdain for the Simeons now clearly evident. Argon stepped closer until he was right in Fumio's face. The towering Simeon tilted his head down to make eye contact but Fumio stood his ground.

"When your true plans are revealed, you will fall. If not by my hand, then by someone else's. Make no mistake about that!" Argon told him angrily before slowly turning and walking away. Fumio exhaled deeply, far more unnerved by Argon than his outward appearance would suggest.

Later at the Simeon base, Argon checked on Bordu's progress. "Anything yet?"

"No, Commander, not yet. Every time we try to trail Fumio, he manages to lose us before he even gets out of the city."

"We have got to dig up something sooner or later! This is starting to get scary."

"So you believe the Nebulans are responsible for the series of events that have taken place?"

"Absolutely! But I can't present my suspicions to the alliance without proof. Captain Gordon assaulted Mister Subo and got relieved of duty and thrown in the brig. Perhaps I shouldn't have told him about what I knew about the Nebulans and he wouldn't be in this predicament..."

"None of us can predict the future, sir. How could you have known that this would happen?"

"There is no reason to believe that the same thing won't happen to us if we try to bring the Nebulans down without something concrete."

"Don't worry, sir! We'll nail them eventually. It's only a matter of time."

"Time may be one thing that we don't have. Who knows what brazen stunt they will pull next?" Argon fretted. "Have the UWP leaders figured out what we are doing yet?"

"No, sir. They are still in the dark thus far."

"Good. Inform me immediately if that changes." A few moments of silence passed before he spoke again. "It should have been me..."

"What do you mean, Commander?"

"I said, it should have been me. What happened to Nanbara."

"Actually, sir, it would have been and could have been BOTH of you."

"He made a sacrifice that few are willing to make. He was truly an honorable human and an unnecessary casualty. And unless we figure out what the Nebulans are up to and stop them, he won't be the last."

In the hangar where Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus were being repaired, more treachery was afoot. A Simeon soldier, or someone who appeared to be one, slipped a specially designed transceiver into Mechagodzilla's head. His weapons systems were still off line but his internal gyroscopes, along with motor control and flight systems, had been repaired.

"Agent 5 to base. The device is in place," he whispered into a communicator he wore.

"Agent 5, we are receiving you. Were you successful in feeding the computer virus we used on the GOTENGO into Titanosaurus as well?"

"Yes, Viceroy. Titanosaurus will not interfere."

"Good. Transmission acknowledged and understood." Kubota signed off. "Now, Chairman?" he asked Fumio.

"It is as good a time as any. Proceed." He activated a control panel which suddenly brought Mechagodzilla roaring to life, much to the surprise of the Simeons in its hangar bay. The robot's propulsion system ignited and like a rocket, it smashed through the roof and up into the sky.

"Shall we proceed with Phase Two of the plan, sir?" Kubota asked.

"By all means." An opening appeared at the top of the Nebulan base and a missile shot off toward Otaru which was still in the process of cleaning up after Nargas' attack. It detonated above the city, releasing an electro-magnetic pulse that shut down and fried any and all nearby electrical equipment. A few moments later, Mechagodzilla arrived and touched down on the outskirts of town.

"Commence the attack," Fumio ordered. The robot began to smash and trample its way through the prior devastation, providing yet another shock for the residents.

Argon stormed into the Simeon main control room, wondering what was going on with their weapons system.

"We do not know, sir! An outside force of some kind apparently has taken control of Mechagodzilla!"

"Well, get him back under control!"

"We have already tried, Commander. Nothing is working. We have been completely cut off from him somehow."

In Otaru, Phase 3 was under way as Mechagodzilla crushed everything in sight. Suddenly, a powerful concentrated beam struck him from behind, sending him crashing forward. The mech turned to see the newly-augmented Gigan coming in for a landing. The cyborg charged forward, tackling Mechagodzilla and activating its twin chainsaws. Pinning the robot, Gigan began to slash away at it again and again.

"Do not make it look too easy, Kubota. Give everyone a good show," Fumio directed as additional commands were sent to Mechagodzilla who quickly knocked Gigan off of him. The Simeon mech hit its attacker with a series of punches that backed the cyborg up before clothes-lining it, bringing Gigan down hard. From the ground, Gigan's new claw tail reached around to grab hold of Mechagodzilla's head. The war machine was thrown through the air before crashing down. As the robot tried to get up, it took the full brunt of Gigan's eye beam and plowed through several buildings due to the force.

"Excellent, Kubota. Now send the shut-down signal." Gigan fired its eye beam yet again to make it look as if he had managed to defeat Mechagodzilla whose internal systems had lost power, resulting in the robot falling over and going completely offline. The cyborg let out his shrill metallic chirp in celebration of the mock victory and raised his buzzing chainsaws up in the air. "Well done! Now, send Gigan to check the aftermath of the satellite attack and make sure that Mothra is dead."

Back at the Simeon base, Argon looked on in disgust. The base had special shielding that protected it from the effects of the electro-magnetic pulse so they were able to see everything that was transpiring on their monitors.

"We have been set up!" he exploded with rage.

"What will happen now, Commander?" Bordu asked.

"Nothing good, I am afraid," he replied with a sigh.

At the temporary headquarters that had been set up for G-FORCE, Prime Minister Koizumi was also not pleased. "I have nothing more to say to you. The only thing saving your life right now is the law," he hissed angrily at Argon.

"I know how this looks, Mister Prime Minister. All I ask is the opportunity to explain."

"Explain what? Your attempt to murder innocent people?"

"Before, there were suspicious circumstances. Why can you not believe that to be the case now?"

"Because I know the truth," a voice announced behind Argon. He turned to see Fumio entering the room.

"Do you now? And what truth is that, Mister Subo?" he asked.

"This." After inserting a disc in a nearby audio-visual console, he pressed the PLAY button on a monitor which showed what appeared to be a missile being fired from the Simeon base. The Commander watched in horror.

"Aside from that, Mister Subo has also informed me that his agents infiltrated your base due to the previous incidents and have confirmed this attack. They also told us that the assault by Nargas was a clever ruse you orchestrated to earn our trust to later deceive us. For that, you will pay dearly, Commander!"

"Your Excellency! Surely you do not believe any of this... this fabrication..." The Simeon was at a loss as to how such a scenario as this could even be possible.

"Of course I do! Mister Subo and his associates have been a boon to this country for many years while the same cannot be said for your race! I have seen all that I need to see. You and your entire command will be put under arrest immediately!"

"If this was true, why would I have come here voluntarily, of my own free will, knowing that I would be jailed?"

"Simply more deception, no doubt. I have heard all that I need to. Take him away!" the Prime Minister ordered. Armed guards escorted Argon from the room as Fumio gave him a smug sneer. The Commander had the powerful urge to tear into him like a rabid dog but he knew that in order to prove his innocence, he would have to not do anything rash.

"Mister Subo, I would like to thank you again for your invaluable help in this dreadful matter," Koizumi said, turning to him.

"Not at all, your Excellency," Fumio replied with a slight bow. "We are allies, after all. It was the least I could do. Now, if you will please excuse me?" The official acknowledged the gesture of respect, greatly appreciating what the departing Nebulan had done for his troubled country.

Just outside the city of Nagoya, a formation of Type 66 Maser Cannons re-fitted with Freeze Masers awaited orders to open fire on the Kilaak ship FLAMING FURY as it blasted the city below with its full arsenal.

"I don't like this... They've GOT to know we're positioned here, yet they are not firing on us. Something ain't right," one of the soldiers muttered. From headquarters, General Aso gave the order for the battalion to engage the enemy but nothing happened.

"What the hell? I said open fire!" he repeated once more but still the weapons did not unleash their deadly rays.

"General, the Masers aren't working!" a panicked trooper radioed the temporary command post. Artillery officers frantically pulled their triggers and checked for malfunctions but the Maser Cannons had somehow been disabled, much to their dismay. It was then that the ground began to shake and rumble as a Magnitude 10 earthquake that pegged the needles on all area seismographs hit. Several gaping fissures swallowed the ground forces as they fell screaming to their deaths .

"What is going on out there!" Aso roared angrily.

Watching everything transpire from the bridge of his command ship, King Karkaru smiled devilishly. Suddenly, an incredible beam shot down out of the sky, striking the cruiser hard. The crew staggered before the ship's artificial gravity re-stabilized itself.

"What in blazes!" the King hissed as a transmission came in from Fumio. "What are you doing?" he demanded angrily.

"Keeping up appearances. I have to make it look good, after all," the Chairman replied.

"Firing upon my ship was not part of the plan, Subo!"

"Which is why our satellite's beam was deployed at half power and struck a non-vital part of your ship but my so-called allies will never know that."

"Choose your words and your actions carefully in the future, Nebulan, if you know what is good for you!" Karkaru threatened.

"It was merely a... display of power," Fumio said bluntly with a half-smile, repeating the words that Karkaru had once used against him. "Now be a good little metal man and feign damage to your ship." Fumio abruptly ended the communication. The Kilaak stood upon his bridge, filled with a fiery rage that could match the burning of his very blood. He wanted nothing more than to rip the annoying Nebulan in half but he knew what he had to do.

"Power down all non-essential systems and then retreat at low impulse power," he ordered with a growl.

A short time later…

"This is really starting to get old," Bordu grumbled, sitting once again in the Simeon detention center where Mugar had placed them previously. His mind worked feverishly, trying to figure out a way to clear the Simeons' record but even if he could come up with something, it would not do any good with them locked up. He then heard what sounded like one of the other apes in his cell talking to himself.

"Agent 5 to base. Agent 5 to base. Is anyone reading me?" the soldier whispered as a shadow loomed over him. He slowly turned his head.

"Who are you talking to?" Bordu asked.

"Uh, nobody," he replied nervously.

"So what are you then, a skitzo?"

"Uh, yeah! Yeah, that's it!"

"What are you trying to hide behind your back?"

"Uh, nothing."

"Really... Let's have a look-see, shall we?"

"No! You can't!" he yelled, getting the attention of the other Simeons in the cell.

"And why is that?"

"Uh, I uh... well, um..." he started to stutter but another ape snatched what he was trying to hide. "No!" he squealed but got pinned against a wall by two others.

"It looks like a radio. Why would you smuggle that in here? Who could you possibly be talking to..." Then it hit him. "You! You sabotaged Mechagodzilla!" he seethed.

"No! It wasn't me! I swear!"

"Oh, really... How about your name, rank and serial number then?"

"No, no! I haven't done anything!"

"Does anyone in this cell know or recognize this ape? I sure haven't seen him around before!"

"No! Please don't hurt me!" Bordu leaned in really close for what he had to say next.

"We're going to play a little game now. And for every correct answer you give us, you get to breathe a few seconds longer but if you don't know the answer..." The other apes began clenching their fists and cracking their knuckles. The Nebulan spy looked as if he were about to experience a loss of bladder control.

At UWP headquarters, the Prime Minister commended Fumio for successfully repelling the Kilaak attack on Nagoya. The devious Nebulan bowed politely but General Aso had a question. "Why didn't you fire on them again? You only crippled them. They were able to escape," he complained.

"I am sorry, General, but that simply was not possible."

"And why is that?"

"Because the T17-B satellite suffered a malfunction that prevented it from being fired thereafter. But the Kilaak ship did withdraw, thankfully," Subo lied very convincingly.

"What bothers me is the sudden earthquake. That just did not seem natural," King Antonio cut in.

"That is because it wasn't," A. Johnson said, entering the room. "Seismograph print-outs show that the focal point of the disturbance moved in a straight line and stopped right under Nagoya."

"What? How is that possible?" the Mu Emperor wondered.

"Could it have been a new weapon of the Kilaaks? Did it have a point of origin?" the Prime Minister asked.

"Oh, my..." Fumio exclaimed, having done some quick mathematical calculations on the computer. As everyone gathered around him, his gaze slowly drifted to the Mu King and Queen. General Aso also turned to stare at them.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked, now confused and distraught as he came around the console towards the royal couple.

"What is wrong, General?" Queen Fimetreous asked, surprised by everyone's sudden looks of horror.

"The point of origin for the seismic disturbance is the Mu Empire!" Aso yelled in unbridled rage.

"I do not understand..."

"What do you mean, you don't understand? Your people possess a device capable of targeting land masses and creating earthquakes. Is that not true? It was used in 1963 when Mu attacked Japan the first time!"

"What are you insinuating?" the Emperor angrily shouted back.

"Insinuating? I think it is quite obvious what has happened here! You attacked us!" Aso accused, shaking his fist in front of their faces.

"You dare accuse our people?"

"Who else could have done this? Who else has this kind of technology?"

"I assure you, General, that I gave no such order! And it offends me greatly that you would assume otherwise!" the Queen protested, anger rising in her voice also.

"So I am supposed to believe that it is merely a coincidence that the coordinates of this massive quake just happen to point to your kingdom?" It was then that Fumio interrupted them.

"It is so clear now! She obviously made a deal with the Kilaaks, fearing that we would lose this war. Perhaps she was promised that her kingdom and her people would be spared if she aligned with them?"

"All LIES!" Queen Fimetreous shouted.

"Are they? I think the proof speaks for itself," Fumio said smugly. Tense silence followed as the Queen sent a searing gaze at Fumio that brought an entirely new meaning to the phrase 'if looks could kill'. She then vocalized her thoughts.

"Kill him!" she ordered. Her personal guards drew their swords. Fumio jumped up out of his chair in fear as security personnel aimed their guns at the Queen's guards.

"Nobody move! Drop your weapons or you will be shot!" General Aso ordered.

"Surely we can resolve this rationally?" Johnson suggested.

"Your highness. Please, listen to reason..." King Antonio pleaded.

"There is no reason here, no logic. Just lies and deceit!" Fimetreous hissed.

"Indeed there is!" Aso roared. In his eyes, who was to blame was quite clear. For a moment, everyone remained unmoving.

"My guards live and die at my decree, General. They have no fear, not of death and certainly not of you or your men."

"Why did you do it?" he pleaded.

"And again I say, we did NOT do anything!"

"Yet you are trying to kill Fumio when he points the finger in your direction..."

"He knows more than he is telling. I can see it in his eyes."

"What I see is your guards trying to kill a member of this alliance without justification and possible proof that your country just committed an act of war against us!" asserted the Prime Minister.

"Trust me! If Mu ever did truly do such a thing... you would know," she scowled menacingly, the intensity of her gaze causing Koizumi to take a step back.

"Queen Fimetreous, please! There is no reason for threats of this nature," King Antonio beseeched her.

"Be silent!" she snapped, raising the Seatopian ruler's own ire.

"You dare to speak to me in such a manner? You have not changed and neither has your bloodthirsty empire!" he retorted.

"For the last time, tell your guards to drop their swords!" Aso commanded.

"It shall not happen!" the Mu king declared defiantly.

"DROP YOUR WEAPONS!"

"DEATH FIRST!" Fimetreous screamed but Kubota suddenly appeared behind her, holding a knife to her throat and pulling her away from the others as her husband looked on in shock. "Drop your weapons or the Queen dies," he coolly addressed her guards who looked worried but did not move.

"Kill this swine who has dared touch me, even if you have to run me through to do it!" she declared. Her soldiers slowly moved toward him. General Aso began to protest what Kubota was doing but Fumio quickly stopped him.

"Let this play out, General," he whispered in his ear. Disbelieving all that was unfolding, Aso wasn't quite sure how to react. "NOW!" Kubota reiterated, holding the knife blade tighter against the Queen's throat, causing the guards to stop in their tracks. Finally, they dropped their swords as everyone in the room gave a sigh of relief.

"Have them incarcerated immediately!" the Prime Minister ordered as Kubota let go of Queen Fimetreous who was quickly whisked away, along with her guards. As they passed General Aso and Fumio, she spit in the Nebulan's face. He flinched slightly but calmly and nonchalantly reached for a handkerchief in his pocket to wipe the spittle away.

"I do not approve of how your assistant handled the situation, Fumio!" Aso rumbled.

"And I shall be the first to agree that it was indeed most unsavory. But I am afraid that it was the only way to avoid a bloodbath, General," he explained as Kubota walked up to them.

"Please allow me this opportunity to apologize for my actions, General. If you so wish it, I will take my place in confinement with the others." He bowed his head to the Prime Minister who looked at Aso.

"I guess right now all that matters is the situation has been diffused and those responsible are in custody," the General declared with a frustrated huff.

In the brig…

"It does indeed sound like you were framed. How very convenient of Fumio to place the blame," Argon told Queen Fimetreous from his cell next door in the G-FORCE detention facility.

"The unbridled fury of the Mu Empire shall rain down upon those who have transgressed against us!" she stated bluntly.

"Your majesty, I understand how you feel but the last thing this world needs right now is a civil war. We both represent races that once attacked and tried to conquer this country. Our allies are scared and not sure who to trust..."

"Commander, do you feel that Fumio may have his own agenda? What has transpired recently seems to serve no other purpose than to get all of us out of the way and bolster his position in the eyes of the world. Do you not agree?" the Mu king asked.

"Indeed I do but I do not yet know what exactly his intentions are. A conquest of the Nebulans' own, perhaps, but achieved through deception and subterfuge rather than direct force?" he ventured.

"Who cares what his intentions are! The only thing I intend to do is rip his head from his body when I get out of here," Captain Gordon called out from his cell across the way.

"A sentiment that I can assure you I also share, Captain," Argon agreed.

"The offenses committed against us shall not be forgiven lightly," the Queen fumed, still furious.

"Fumio is the true enemy, your highness. Our focus should be on him. If he can be exposed for the liar he is, all of this shall be undone."

"And if he is not?" she wondered.

"Then we are all in big trouble," Argon figured.

Back at their secret base, Fumio and Kubota savored their little victory. "Well, sir. Was my timing acceptable?"

"Impeccable as always, Kubota. I am glad that our agents in Mu finally figured out how to operate the earthquake generator. As for the Simeons, everyone fell for the fabricated missile footage. Now, Captain Gordon, the Simeons and the Mu are out of the way. When Gigan has finished inspecting the island where we attacked Mothra, send him directly to Tokyo to start leveling everything. What remains of the United World Powers will never know what hit them," Fumio gloated with satisfaction as he approached the Viceroy. "Finally, our plans are coming to fruition and we will at last have the perfect peace we have so long desired, my old friend," he went on, placing his hand on his shoulder.

_Gudis Returns_

After a period of slow regeneration in the former U.S.S.R., Gudis finally re-emerged. He twisted his neck and various other limbs this way and that, bones popping and muscles stretching to limber up and regain their strength and flexibility.

"Ahhhh, I'm feeling much better now," he sighed. "But just to be sure..." He let a waft of spores flow onto a nearby snake on the ground before him. It began to writhe and contort as the Gudis virus infested its body. Soon, it began to mutate and grow as Gudis pumped more of his dreaded infection into the reptile, causing it to swell in size until it dwarfed even him. Once finished, the creature lowered its massive head down to Gudis who stretched out a hand to rub its brow. The gargantuan serpent purred almost like a kitten at its master's touch.

"Yes, yes who's a pwetty wittle killing machine, huh? You are, yes you are!" Gudis spoke in baby talk to the nightmarish freak he had created, putting his hands on either side of its head. "I shall name thee... Garasharp. Yes, Garasharp. That sounds good," he went on in his normal voice.

"Hmmm, I'm sure Moscow would've been a blast to trash back in the '80s," he continued, looking about him. "How's about we try China instead?" The Gudis motioned in the direction he wanted the monster to go as it let out a horrific roar and slithered away at amazing speed. He had a mock emotional moment as he watched it go.

"They're so cute when they are young. Then, the next thing you know, they're all grown up, left the house and started killing, destroying and threatening entire civilizations all by themselves. It makes a parent so proud..." he whimpered, pretending to wipe tears that did not exist from the corner of his eye. His cries quickly transformed into a madness-filed laughter as he grew out his wings and shot off into the sky above.

As Gudis flew off, a Nebulan ship hovering in Earth's orbit notified Fumio of Gudis' resurrection. The Chairman then contacted Ken'trus and King Karkaru. Very quickly, a collection of Kilaak, Nebulan, Xian and Mysterian craft converged, pinpointing where Gudis' flight trajectory would take him. Gudis' brief moment of surprise was soon replaced by malicious anticipation as the ships zeroed in on the monstrosity high above the Earth. The Virans had chosen to decline this confrontation, wanting no part of it.

"My aren't I the popular one lately?" Gudis jibed.

The ships opened fire, the battle leaving the planet behind as they blasted away with everything they had. There was enough firepower to utterly annihilate any other lifeform but Gudis shrugged it all off and counter-attacked.

Several Kilaak ships in fire dragon mode attempted to spear into the viral nightmare but Gudis proved far too nimble and quick to be caught. As the combined armada's numbers started to dwindle, a soldier aboard one of the Kilaak battle cruisers voiced his concern.

"No matter what we hit him with, he just keeps coming, sir!"

"Then fire the Anti-matter!" the Captain ordered.

The destructive energy blasted from the Kilaak ships and moved toward Gudis like a cloud of cosmic death. He saw the wave coming and realizing what it was, the abomination quickly ripped one of its tentacles from its body and hurled it away. When the combined energy beams hit the Gudis, a tremendous explosion atomized his physical body completely. The blast was so all-encompassing that ships closest to the destruction were taken along with it as others shot away at the last second. Soon, all was quiet again.

"Contact our superiors and let them know that the mission was a success," the Kilaak Captain said proudly. "We can finally be the race to lay claim to destroying Gudis once and for all! If this does not cement the Iron Empire's reputation as a feared galactic super power, nothing will!"

"One moment, sir... We have picked up something on our scanners." Out in the void of space, the tentacle that had been torn away was growing into an entirely new body as Gudis let out a menacing roar.

"Impossible!" the Captain stammered a split second before Gudis smashed through his ship, breaking it in half.

The remaining craft were caught unprepared, believing that Gudis was dead. The cosmic terror proceeded to wipe out every vessel he set eyes on until a new contender joined the fray.

Soaring in from the east came King Ghidorah, hot on the trail of a small group of Xian fighters. They flew by the Gudis who turned just in time to be slammed into head on by the golden dragon.

The Xians took up formation alongside the few other ships that remained. Their plan had been a success.

They had tracked Ghidorah down on Earth and opened fire, inciting the kaiju's fury. The Destroyer of Worlds could not wait to crush members of the race who had once held him captive as the Kilaaks had. Everything else now fell into place on its own.

Aboard the Xian mothership miles away, Ken'trus smiled. Bringing King Ghidorah into the mix had been his idea but the other alien leaders were not smiling, especially King Karkaru. They watched the two titans tumble through space until they had a chance to separate from one another.

"The mighty King Ghidorah," Gudis greeted his visitor. "What an honor it is to meet you at last. Your reputation as a galaxy destroyer is as vast as my own," he said with a smile. Slightly confused for a moment, all six of King Ghidorah's eyes examined the horror before him carefully.

He seemed to recognize parts of the Gudis' make-up: the protruding spikes and oddly familiar head that was an amalgam of Anguirus and King Seesar. Gudis was huge at a towering 100 meters but still dwarfed by the immense 200-meter space dragon who sensed great power and great evil despite Gudis' smaller stature. The two juggernauts eyed each other cautiously.

"Who or what are you?" the Skyllan asked in kaiju-speak.

"I am Gudis," he answered with a bow. The name struck a memory chord within the three-headed monster. He had once visited a world devastated by the virus-like being and was impressed with the amount of death and destruction it had wrought. Ghidorah had hoped to one day meet the creature to see who would truly dominate the universe.

"I wish I could say that it is a pleasure to meet you also but I am afraid that you are laying claim to a planet that is mine to destroy," he confessed before heaving back and hitting Gudis with his wing lightning. King Ghidorah was surprised that it was absorbed and then hurled back at him.

The Skyllan's field deflected the blast as he dashed forward, plowing into the Gudis again. The monster retaliated with a punch to the gut that doubled the King of Terror over. A spinning heel kick then smashed across all three of his heads. As Ghidorah began to teeter to one side from the physical strikes, he regained his balance and swung his right head around, punching it squarely into Gudis's jaw.

As the galactic parasite veered sideways from the blow, Ghidorah spun around, swinging his left wing hard enough to send him tumbling through space. Gudis halted his momentum and fired one of his arm beams which struck King Ghidorah's force field but pushed him back with the sheer force of it.

Gudis darted in to close the gap between them, only to have a barrage of gravity beams rain down upon him. They cut into his flesh but he kept on coming until he rammed his opponent. Now in close quarters, Gudis summoned an energy shockwave that detonated right in the space demon's face and flipped him head over heels. The two combatants then paused for a moment.

"What are they doing?" one of the Mysterians radioed from one of their ships.

"Monster Zero has ceased his attack. Please confirm," a Xian drone replied. From one of the Nebulan fighters, another observation was offered.

"If I did not know any better, I would swear they are talking to each other."

As a matter of fact, they were…

"You know, we could probably do this all day..." Gudis observed.

"Your point being?" Ghidorah asked.

"I'm sure we both have better things to do and other places to be."

"Find another world to ravage. The Earth is mine, virus! To kill and destroy it as I please. You will not stop me!" Ghidorah hissed.

"Why on Earth would I want to? You want the same thing I do: For this world to suffer in anguish and misery. You want to kill and destroy, fine. Fantastic! Just call me before you do so I can be there with a camera and post it on YouTube." Gudis joked. All three of Ghidorah's heads cocked a confused eyebrow. Gudis sighed before speaking again.

"The point is, this world is big enough for us to share. I'll make you a deal: Let me have the primal resources to feed upon and you can raise all the blood-caked screaming hell you see fit. There's no reason for us to get in each other's way."

"Perhaps... But maybe I like the idea of blasting you across the cosmos better," Ghidorah confessed.

"But why? There are others far more deserving of your wrath," Gudis asked as he looked past the triple-domed destroyer at the ships hovering in the distance. "Like all of your former slave masters..." he suggested with a wicked smile. King Ghidorah turned half way around. The right head gazed at the ships, the left continued to glare at Gudis and the center one seemed lost in thought as if deciding what course of action should be taken. Gudis waited patiently with his arms crossed in front of himself.

Abruptly, King Ghidorah turned toward the armada and flew toward them, cackling as he opened fire.

"He's attacking us instead!" one of the Kilaaks shouted a split second before his ship was destroyed. Gudis laughed like a maniac as Ghidorah unleashed all of his catastrophic hatred on the various alien races that once controlled him.

With the majority of their numbers already wiped out by Gudis, those that remained didn't stand a ghost of a chance. Gudis then turned and headed back to Earth, laughing all the while.

A very angry transmission was sent to the Xian mothership. "You pretentious imbecile! Do you have any idea what you've done?" King Karkaru scowled, his eyes searing with rage.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Ken'trus calmly retorted before breaking out in a mischievous grin. The Kilaak King became livid when he realized that they had all been played for fools. He regretted ever letting Fumio talk him into this endeavor in the first place.

"I WILL RIP YOU LIMB FROM LIMB WITH MY BARE HANDS!" the golden Kilaak swore angrily.

"Promises, promises," the Controller mocked. A moment of silence passed before Karkaru spoke again.

"Understand this, Xian. IF you manage to survive your own campaigns on this planet against the forces you have chosen to confront, know that I WILL be waiting for you!" he promised in a quieter yet more insidious tone. The channel was abruptly closed. A few seconds later, Ken'trus was on the receiving end of yet another rant.

"What the hell happened out there?" King Koban howled from the viewscreen.

"A simple mistake on my part."

"'A simple mistake'?"

"How was I supposed to know that King Ghidorah would turn on us? I figured he would kill Gudis and then turn on the Kilaaks, if nothing else," the Controller innocently lied.

"This entire operation has become a disaster!"

"It wasn't a total loss. The Kilaaks and Nebulans lost ships just as we did."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Which is why each race only needed to provide a certain number of ships on this mission in the first place. This will not hinder our plans in any way. Everything will still proceed as scheduled so you may as well just relax." Koban seemed to fester in his own anger and frustration as he struggled to come up with something else to say.

"Fine! But if you ever ask me to get involved in anything like this ever again, I will have you shot. Is that understood?" Koban threatened but it revealed that he was more embarrassed than anything else.

"Yes. Of course," Ken'trus replied in a somewhat failed attempt to make it sound like he took the Mysterian king's threat seriously as he closed the channel once again. He allowed himself a slight chuckle.

Ah, such simple-minded, temperamental creatures these are... I had almost forgotten how amusing it was to agitate them the Controller thought to himself.

At the Nebulan base Fumio, shook his head.

"What was Ken'trus thinking?" Kubota wondered aloud.

"A scenario that would prove mutually satisfying for him, I would wager."

"So what now, Chairman?"

"We will just have to find another way to deal with Gudis at a later date." Just then, a message came from King Karkaru and Fumio switched on the telescreen.

"Well, Subo. What do you have to say for yourself?" he snarled.

"What would you have me say?"

"This plan was your idea! I lay this failure at your feet."

"It is Ken'trus who deserves your scorn, not I, Karkaru."

"Oh, I have already had words with him. This strategy was folly. It always was."

"I do not recall a gun being held to your head. You could have said no," Fumio countered.

"This alliance between us has always been tenuous, Nebulan, and I shall not tolerate your asinine schemes any longer. This is the last time we co-ordinate such an effort. Is that understood? Karkaru out," the Kilaak bluntly terminated the feed. Fumio paused for a moment before motioning Kubota to follow him into another room off the central control station.

Once inside, he brought his right index finger up to his lips and pulled out a PDA-type device used to send messages. Kubota withdrew his and read the instructions displayed. The two Nebulans nodded to one another and continued their exchange.

"I assume you wish to discuss our plans for the Kilaaks, sir?"

"Indeed. It is becoming increasingly obvious that they have their own agenda that deviates from our original arrangement. It is my belief that our alliance shall end in folly and we need to be prepared when it does."

"The new freeze weapons technology, then?"

"Yes, Kubota. We cannot compete with the Kilaaks in sheer numbers but our new weapons will wipe out entire fleets in one shot."

"Very good, sir. When shall we proceed?"

"After we deal with Seatopia."

"So... the time has come at last, Chairman?

"It has, Kubota."

"Then I shall prepare a shuttle immediately and depart for Seatopia."

"Very good, Kubota, but I will lead this mission myself."

"Chairman, I must protest..."

"I know how you feel, Kubota, but it has to be me. I am the one the King trusts like no other."

High above the Earth, a Kilaak ship was monitoring every word spoken within the Nebulan base. Its captain quickly notified King Karkaru aboard the FLAMING FURY.

King Antonio entered the throne room to find Prince Hector and Angelique in each other's arms, sharing a kiss.

"Sorry, Father..." Hector stammered when they finally took notice of his presence. "I know that the throne room is not the place for such things," he apologized, red-faced and somewhat embarrassed.

"Considering that your mother and I were caught many a time in the same situation, I can hardly fault you," he informed them as Angelique quickly bowed before him.

"Please rise, Angelique. If you are to be a member of the royal family and of this family, there will be no need for that anymore. You will become my daughter as Hector is my son," he informed her with a warm smile as he took her hands.

"How can we ever thank you for giving us your blessing, your majesty?"

"It is I who should be thanking YOU for opening my eyes, my dear," he admitted as they embraced and kissed his cheek. Hector looked on with a smile of his own but soon, the old King's cheer faded as matters of a more dire nature re-entered his weary mind.

"What is wrong, Father?" he asked.

"The Simeons and the Mu Empire... It seems that they have betrayed us. But they have been found out and dealt with."

"I did not think it would be possible! Who was responsible for discovering the truth, Father?"

"Our good friend and ally, Mister Fumio Subo." A look of surprise came across Hector's face and he was not sure how to react. "What is wrong, my son?" the king asked.

"Father, I know that Fumio is your friend but are you sure that the information he possesses is... reliable?"

"What? Surely you jest, Hector! Fumio has proven to be one of the alliance's greatest strengths and a precious friend and ally of our people. How could you even suggest such a thing? Have you forgotten how he saved our people all those years ago? Where would we be without him?"

"But not soon enough to save our Queen... my mother..." Hector muttered under his breath which drew another depressed sigh from his father.

"What is done is done, my son. The past cannot be changed, no matter how badly either you or I may wish it could be," Antonio reminded him. "But you surely cannot blame Fumio for your mother's death..."

"Indeed... That would be rather disconcerting, if I do say so myself," a voice said from behind them. The Seatopians turned to see Fumio standing in the entrance to the throne room with about a dozen Nebulan soldiers.

"Fumio? What are you doing here?" Antonio asked.

"I was just wondering... Could you please take me to Megalon's Citadel?"

"Megalon's Citadel? But why?"

"Father, there is something wrong... I do not like this..." Hector warned, distrusting the man and eying the armed escort accompanying him.

"Silence, whelp!" Fumio snapped, much to the King's surprise.

"Fumio, why would you speak to my son in such a manner? I do not approve!"

"Do you always allow him to speak out of turn?"

"He speaks when he feels there is something important that needs to be said."

"Then I apologize, my old friend. Could we perhaps discuss this in private?"

"But why?"

"There is a theory that I have been wanting to test out."

"Theory? What kind of theory? In all the time that I have known you, you have never asked this before. This seems highly irregular, Fumio. An odd request to say the least..." Fumio and the other Nebulans suddenly pulled out guns.

"I have been about as subtle and as patient as I can honestly stand. Now take me to the Citadel or I will kill you where you stand!"

"Fumio, what is the meaning of this?"

"Are you as deaf as you are old and senile? Now take me to the Citadel!" Fumio roared as he fired off a warning shot.

"What about them, sir?" one of the other Nebulans asked, gesturing towards Hector and Angelique.

"Bring them along. And if they make any sudden moves or draw any attention to us along the way to the Citadel, it shall be your son who pays the price!" Fumio warned the king as he grabbed him by the arm. Leaving the palace, they saw the bodies of the royal guards scattered about with fatal knife wounds.

Inside the sacred temple, Fumio had his cohorts kill the guards and watch over the hostages while he retrieved the telepathic headband.

"Just tell me one thing... why?" King Antonio asked him.

"Why? Because it was so easy. You were never more than a means to an end. You will be wiped out, along with the rest of your allies and anyone else who stands in my way. After that, the Nebulans will reign supreme over this entire planet and your beautiful city will serve as our supreme capital when we have taken over."

"You despicable, vile dog!"

"What did you honestly expect, you imbecile? Think back to when we first met and the terrible virus that afflicted your people. Where do you think it came from?" Fumio sneered. "We created it and pumped it through the ventilation shafts and the emergency vents as well. The ones you use to expel the sometimes harmful gases that seep into your kingdom through underground fissures in the Earth. Then we conveniently showed up with our miraculous vaccine. We knew that once we saved your people from the scourge, you would roll right over for us. There was no better way to infiltrate and learn all about our enemy." As the realization sank in, King Antonio was filled with rage at the betrayal of his trust.

"You bastard! You murdering bastard!"

"Mo-mother... He killed Mother..." Hector stuttered, overcome with emotion.

"Bah! One Seatopian is as useless as another, dead or alive. You all are nothing but savages, the whole lot of you! And that includes the other undersea kingdoms. There was a time when you would have readily ripped one another's throats out without hesitation. Now you have what you and your kind call 'peace'. Peace, indeed! What would you ignorant barbarians know of peace?" Fumio growled as he picked up a sword from the limp hand of a slain temple guard and threw it back down as if the archaic weapon was somehow dirty. "You know nothing of peace, not perfect peace like we will bring to the entire world!" he ranted as the three Seatopians looked on.

"You were the collaborator that Ramon was working with! You will pay a heavy toll for your unspeakable crimes!" Angelique scowled.

"This is the instrument that you use to speak to Megalon?" Fumio asked Antonio, paying no heed to her defiance as he would soon be done with the lot of them. The proud monarch did not respond. "Answer me or I will shoot your son right where he stands! Do you understand?" He raised his gun towards the young Prince's head.

"... Yes..."

"And it works regardless of range, correct?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Once the Simeons have been executed, we shall take possession of Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus. With Megalon under my control, along with Gigan, the Nebulans will truly be unstoppable!"

"What? No, wait! It does not work like that! You mustn't!" Hector tried to warn him.

"Does that insufferable brat of yours ever shut up?" Fumio growled as he put on the headband. Up on the surface, Megalon suddenly felt an unwelcome presence attempting to connect with him as Fumio tried to give him commands. "Now, Megalon, you will serve me!"

"Arrogant insect! You have the audacity to believe that you can control me?" Megalon snarled as his deep, booming voice caught the startled alien off guard.

"You will do as I say or the King and his son will die!"

"I think not, wretch," Megalon rumbled as he exerted its own force of will upon Fumio, taking control of him instead. He lifted his gun and fired at his own soldiers who didn't know how to react. They were picked off one by one with bullets to their heads.

"No!" Fumio yelled, unable to stop himself. In the confusion, the King, his son and Angelique lunged at the remaining Nebulans and held them until Megalon had Fumio shoot them as well.

"Be gone, worm!" the guardian proclaimed as a psionic backlash hit Fumio like a Mack truck. He screamed as his hands clutched his head and his knees hit the floor. Toppling over face first, the headband came off and rolled away. All became quiet in the sanctuary once again.

"Father, are you all right?" Hector asked as he and Angelique rushed over to him.

"Yes, my son. And you?"

"Fine, Father."

"What happened to him?" Angelique asked, looking down at Fumio's unmoving body.

"Megalon has taught him a painful lesson that he will not soon forget for daring to defile him and his temple," King Antonio proclaimed proudly.

"We must tell the other members of the alliance what has occurred here!" Prince Hector insisted.

"And indeed we shall! We must depart for the surface at once!" Antonio decided and they prepared to leave. Suddenly, with an inhuman shriek, Fumio lunged up. His human disguise was practically shredded and fell off of him, revealing his true form. Angelique screamed in terror as the large insectoid back-handed Hector aside and grabbed hold of the King, lifting him off the ground. Fumio then impaled him through the chest and out his back with one of his arms as Hector looked on in horror.

"Father!" he screamed as he picked up one of the felled temple guard's spears and charged. Fumio tossed the King aside and engaged the young Prince with his sharp appendages. Hector wielded the weapon with unparalleled skill as he deflected strikes from all four of Fumio's flailing arms which lashed out at him again and again. He managed to stab Fumio in the shoulder joint of his upper left arm but the angry insect wrenched the spear from his grasp and smacked him in the face with it, putting him on his back. As Fumio heaved back to impale the Prince, he was stabbed from behind by Angelique with a weapon she had grabbed. Angrily, the insect turned his attention to her, knocking the lance from her hands and lifting her up off the ground as well. She began to scream as Fumio leaned in to shear her head off with his hideous mandibles.

"Angelique! No!" Hector cried out. A third spear entered the right side of Fumio's head, getting lodged halfway through and stopping him dead in his tracks. He dropped Angelique and fell to the floor. This time, he was truly dead. Hector looked over in the direction that the weapon had come from and saw his Father who had fallen back onto the floor. Hector and Angelique rushed to his side. The injury that he had received was a critical one.

"Father, we have to get you to the royal medic immediately!" Hector pleaded as they knelt in the steadily growing puddle of blood around him.

"No, it is too late. You must carry on in my place as I have raised you to do all of these years," he said with waning breath.

"No, Father, no! I can't lose you! You must live!" Hector bellowed as he began to sob.

"I know you will make me proud, Hector..." he whispered as he took hold of his son's hand and clasped it together with Angelique's whose face was also stained with tears. "... Be happy together and remember... I will always love you... both." A moment later, he breathed his last and the noble King Antonio of Seatopia was no more.

"Father? Father, no!" Hector cried as he held his lifeless body in his arms. Angelique wrapped her arms around him as their tears of sorrow mixed together in the blood of the ancient Citadel.

Meanwhile…

As Queen Mothra glided along, she spotted Fairy Mothra with the Elias and Doubijin approaching quickly.

"Thank Gaia she is still alive!" Moll said with relief.

"But she has obviously been through an ordeal of some kind," Belvera added as they noticed her battered condition.

"She is regenerating, though. Biollante's gifts are serving her well," Moll declared with gratitude.

"I am guessing there is a story of some kind behind this?" Terius asked.

Indeed there is, and I will explain Mothra spoke telepathically to them.

At their temporary headquarters, General Aso was sitting in his office going over reports of what was happening in America when Prince Hector and Angelique suddenly stormed in. The now-empty skin that Fumio had used as a human disguise was tossed on his desk.

"What in the name of - ?"

"We need to talk, General. Now!" Hector demanded.

At the Nebulan base, Kubota patiently awaited word from the Chairman when a siren suddenly went off, along with a series of red alarm lights flashing on his control console.

"We have a squad of Kilaak cruisers heading straight for us with weapons armed!" a security officer shouted.

"What? But why? How do they even know our location?" The questions would never be answered as the entire base and the ground it was hidden in went up in a horrendous explosion.

"Good riddance, Nebulan filth!" King Karkaru hissed disdainfully aboard his ship.

In orbit on the dark side of Venus, the Nebulan flagship had been monitoring the situation on Earth through hidden surveillance systems planted at G-FORCE headquarters, Seatopia and the Nebulan base. The Captain turned to address his crew.

"My brothers in arms, in light of Fumio Subo's failure, the Council has given new orders to return home and regroup. Our alliance with the Kilaaks is officially ended and they shall feel the sting of our fury as well as for their treachery! As your new Chairman and leader, I guarantee you victory and true peace now and for all time! When historians look back on this day, they will see that one race rose above all others to claim and conquer all before them to begin a new genesis for our people. For the Nebulan Commonwealth!

Upon completion of his speech, everyone on the bridge began to shout and cheer, raising their fists into the air repeatedly as the Captain stood proudly with his hands on his hips and his chest pushed out. Never had he felt so god-like.

A moment later, the ship exploded into fiery space junk. Those Nebulans who were not instantly incinerated were sucked screaming out into the vacuum of space, their shrill cries of horror ending when the oxygen was sucked from their lungs. After goring clean through the huge craft, a group of Kilaak ships shut down their Fire Dragon mode and returned to the side of the HELLRAISER

"Send a message to the FLAMING FURY. Tell King Karkaru that the Nebulan situation has been dealt with," General Kulkan commanded with a cruel smile. Another transmission informed him that the orbiting Nebulan weapons platform had also been destroyed.

Back at UWP HQ…

"It is good to be free... again," Argon said almost jokingly as he and Captain Gordon shared a hearty laugh before going over to escort the Mu Queen and King and her guards from their cells.

Before Prince Hector departed for the surface, he had communicated with Megalon and gotten the entire story on Fumio and the Nebulans which he laid out for the General. Bordu also had the Nebulan spy singing like a canary, getting the Simeons and Captain Gordon released from confinement.

The Nebulan menace may have been removed but the threats to the Earth were still going to be many. The war was far from over.

_Renewed Resolve_

Prince Hector immediately called an emergency meeting of the United World Powers to inform everyone of what had occurred in Seatopia, as well as the deceit perpetuated by Fumio Subo.

"My friends and allies, my beloved father, the noble King of Seatopia... is dead," be began, trying to fight back the obvious emotion those words brought with them. He regained his composure to continue speaking as looks of horror and gasps of shock spread over the assembled leaders. The young Prince had further revelations as well.

"We have all been deceived by one who masqueraded as an ally: Mister Fumio Subo!"

"What?" exclaimed the Japanese Prime Minister in disbelief.

"What brings you to this conclusion? What proof do you have of this?" A. Johnson asked. Hector waved to several attendants who had accompanied him from Seatopia. They dragged the insectoid carcass of Fumio into the room and laid it out on the floor for all to see which resulted in more startled gasps.

"Run a DNA test on his upper right appendage. You will find my father's blood upon it," the angry Prince finished in a shaky voice.

"It has already been done," General Aso advised as he entered the room. "It is a perfect match," he admitted regretfully as he cursed himself for having been deceived all this time.

"We had our own reasons for distrusting them but had no proof to plead our case, unfortunately," Commander Argon added.

"We tried to spy on Fumio and tail him but were never able to turn up anything concrete," Bordu admitted.

"And your outburst and assault on Fumio, Captain Gordon?" the Prime Minister asked the Commander of the GOTENGO.

"The Simeons shared with me what little they knew about the Nebulans so when the incident involving the kaiju attack on G-FORCE headquarters unraveled, I drew my own conclusions," Gordon replied.

"So in the end, they were not a benign race of aliens at all... Just another slew of invaders seeking to conquer us!" the General hissed.

"It does all add up. Further interrogation has revealed that the Nebulans actually had an alliance with the Kilaaks that apparently went sour, leading to the destruction of a hidden Nebulan base. The attack on Nagoya was simply a clever ruse. The Nebulans were responsible for that and much more. The framing of the Simeons and Mu; the attack on Mothra and the GOTENGO's sabotage," Hector added, much to the mortification of all. "Their plans were thwarted but at a terrible price..." he trailed off as he hung his head. Angelique, who had been standing behind his seat since her formal introduction to the UWP, placed her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort the distraught Prince. He gently took it and stood up, his head held high again.

"But now is not the time for mourning. Now, more than ever, we must have unity and solidarity. Our alliance must stand strong in defiance of everything that still threatens this world. The Nebulans are gone but there is still the invasion of America, the Kilaaks and possibly other unknown threats that yet await us. I say that we learn from this tragedy and repel the invaders with everything we have!" Hector declared, wiping a tear from his cheek. He then stepped forward, stretching out his and Angelique's right arms with their open palms down. "What say you all?" The answer was obvious as everyone stepped forward, placing their own hands on top of Hector's until they had formed a circle with their outstretched arms in the center.

"With our own strength we shall either stand or fall. But whatever becomes of us, none will be able to say that we did not fight valiantly or that we cowered before our enemies. It is better to die on our feet than live on our knees!" Hector declared, repeating the phrase that his father had often used. It could not have been more fitting in their current situation. Whatever fate awaited the alliance, they would face it together.

_Rise of the Gyaos_

Marshall Coolidge was a renowned archaeologist who considered himself an expert on ancient cultures and the scientific community would probably agree whole-heartedly. Even so, what he now gazed upon baffled him beyond reason. The ancient sculpture was buried deep beneath the Kukulcan Pyramid in Chichen Itza, one of the greatest Meso-American cities ever created. Marshall respected this place, as well anyone should and had often come here as a child on expeditions with his father. This ancient city had gotten him into archeology in the first place.

Chichen Itza was located near the Yucatan Peninsula, a site that 65 million years ago bore direct witness to the second most destructive event in Earth's history: the arrival of Death Ghidorah. But millions of years later and little known to Marshall, it was still haunted by the memories of another tragic event, one that up until now had remained a secret but would seem all too familiar as the day wore on.

Most of the documents containing the ancient prophecies of doom had been destroyed by the Spanish Conquistadors several centuries ago. No doubt they must have been terrified at what they described. The Anglos went on to devastate the once-powerful empires which had dominated this land since before Christ. In fact, ancient history of the Meso-American empires dated back to the Ice Age when their founders became separated from the continent of Mu, thus cutting them off from the technology that kept the advanced civilization functioning. These ancient Atlanteans were forced to create a new life for themselves from the soil, becoming savages and losing touch with the Cosmos' prowess.

They knew, however, that a great war had been fought over them long ago and that great beasts had met in fantastic battles to decide the fate of the planet itself. These conflicts were what caused the Ice Age in the first place. Fear of the creatures responsible had never left the Atlanteans and when they uncovered remains and still-surviving eggs of the most terrifying of them all, they erected massive structures over them in hopes that they could lock them in the Earth forever. Fortunately for them, the beasts continued to slumber. Conditions were not right for the terrors to rise again but today would be a much different story...

Marshall ran his hand over the carvings on the ancient stone tablet before him. It would seem that the author of its message had died while writing this prophecy. A skeleton lay in the corner, chisel and hammer still in hand. Marshall strained his eyes as he carefully brushed the dust off the tablet, holding his flashlight next to it. He wished he had a translator with him but knew enough Mayan to understand the meaning of what he read. It confused him and sent chills down his spine:

The King of Terror shall awaken them.

A warrior of good shall oppose them but the Shadow of Evil will overcome the light of purity.

A dark day shall descend on humanity as the sky turns to blood and the fires of the gods consume them all

As he tried to find meaning in the words, Marshall felt something warm land on his neck. He reached around and felt a thick, warm liquid. When he shone his light on his hand, he realized that it was blood. Surprised, he jumped back and pointed the beam at the low ceiling. A crack had formed along the roof of the cavern he was in and blood was flowing from it.

Feeling a strange sense of terror - some subliminal instinct that had been hard-wired into mankind long before they could understand what instincts were - Marshall ran. He heard the chamber collapsing behind him as he reached the stone steps leading back up to the surface. Once again the open air, he heard a shriek below that caused him to jump and run in horror from the pyramid. He stopped by the Great Mayan Ball Court, another massive religious structure in the ancient city. Turning, he saw a red, wedge-shaped reptilian head emerge from the ground. Backing up against the stone wall, he froze, hoping the beast wouldn't see him. The abomination pulled itself free and let out its high-pitched call once more.

It was then that Marshall recognized it. He saw it - or one like it - on the news back when he was a kid, fighting some turtle-like monster called GAMERA. GYAOS they had called it but this monster wasn't huge like that one. It was way smaller and not much larger than himself. When it spread its devil's wings, however, it suddenly seemed much bigger. This caused Marshall's adrenaline to take his body hostage once more and he ran with all his might. He had never run so fast before but it wasn't enough.

As the deadly blood-red talons wrapped around his arms, Marshall knew his life was over. Like a hawk with a captured mouse, the winged demon carried its prey to the top of the Kukulcan Pyramid. The Gyaos let Marshall fall to the roof, breaking both of his legs on impact. The human made strange noises of pain as the Gyaos settled down next to him. Marshall screamed in terror as it studied him, almost seeming to enjoy his primal fear before it dove at him, driving its shovel-like nose into his warm belly. As the bird began to eat him alive, Marshall's eyes rolled back in his head. The last thing he saw before the sweet relief of death finally overtook him was a swarm of the creatures emerging from the tomb that he had opened, the Sacred Cenote and various other places across the ancient city.

Other sites around the world once more bore witness to a terrifying calamity in the making. At the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan near Mexico City, a swarm of Gyaos was unleashed. From underneath the Temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, another flock reared its collective ugly heads. Near Stonehenge in England, a horde of the reptilian birds was freed upon unsuspecting Europeans who tried to believe that the great turmoil taking place on the North American continent would pass them by, or that it was the cause of their present troubles.

From the Great Pyramid of Gaza in Egypt, a single, massive Gyaos rose from within the structure, collapsing the ancient world wonder into the stones it was originally made of. As the giant creature let loose its cry of war from the skies above, it was answered from below but by a cry of hatred and revenge. The Gyaos turned towards the source of the mighty roar. On the desert plain across the Nile stood the very creature that had put his race down so long ago. The Gyaos hissed with anger. The rest of the brood was still hatching all across the planet. They were too young, their eggs just having become viable with the sudden drop in the Earth's Mana. He, however, had been in hibernation. He knew that, should his brethren ever rise again, so too would their conqueror.

Gamera issued another challenge to his mortal enemy. The Gyaos responded with a high-pitched shriek that shattered windows in the nearby city of Cairo. He continued the sonic scream until a beam of energy formed in his mouth. The beast let loose the blast which struck Gamera square in the face. The guardian bent forward, letting the brunt of the attack be absorbed and nullified by his shell. Still, a new scar now graced his face, opposite the one given him by King Ghidorah. Gamera charged and let loose three fireballs in quick succession.

The Gyaos leapt into the air but the last one clipped his leg, blowing the appendage off. Unphased, the reptilian bird slammed Gamera into the ground, digging its razor-sharp talons into the soft flesh of his legs and arms. Gamera threw his head up and drove his tusks into the Gyaos' belly. Violently spinning around in the process, he tore a great hole in the monster's side. The Gyaos shrieked in pain as his adversary threw him into the air. Regaining its balance, the creature attempted to fire its sonic beam once more but Gamera shot a single ball of flame into his gaping wound. The Gyaos exploded in a disgusting spray of blood and bile.

Gamera bellowed his triumph to the sky but he knew that the fight was only just beginning. He could sense Ghidorah's presence still lurking about the planet but for now, there was nothing he could do about him. His ancient programming could not be denied, nor could his intense hatred for the Gyaos having killed his brothers so long ago. The Atlantean guardian screamed his wailing cry of war to the heavens once more before his leg jets fired up and he rose into the sky. The Shadow of Evil had finally arrived and only he could stop it.

_Miami_

Marcus Edwards was doing something he never thought he would ever have to do in his long life. He grabbed as many cans of food that his jacket pockets could hold and then some. Ever since the TV and radio transmissions had stopped, nobody had any idea when the hurricane would hit. The waves and wind had started to pick up and ominous dark clouds spanned the horizon. Water had already begun to lap at shoreline homes. He, nor anybody else in Miami, wanted to take the chance that the hurricane would just pass them by. Almost everyone was fighting for every last scrap of food and water they could find, and with good reason.

This year, a hurricane wasn't just another storm. The entire season had been unusually violent and it wasn't over yet. Mark had heard news reports before all the satellite services ended that the Kilaaks were back and causing volcanos to erupt around the world, spewing enormous amounts of heat into the atmosphere. This, along with increased amounts of carbon dioxide and rising sea levels, was blamed for the violent weather.

The National Weather Service said that these new storms were like nothing that had ever struck the Americas before. They were so huge and powerful that they had a new classification: Category 6, otherwise known as SUPER 'CANES. With winds in excess of 200 miles per hour, they had already laid barren the Caribbean, Cuba and much of the Gulf Coast.

Overnight, entire nations and tribes of people had been wiped from the face of the Earth. Most of southern Florida was completely flooded, probably permanently. Much of Miami was underwater, now engulfed by the ocean. Boats weaved between buildings where cars and buses once reigned. As for the rest of the state, the Keys no longer existed and slowly but surely, the rest of the Florida Panhandle was being claimed by the sea.

So powerful were the super 'canes that they didn't follow the normal routes that storms of the past did. Those had normally come up toward the Gulf and then swung back out to sea where they remained stationary and only posed a shipping hazard, throwing large waves at the North Atlantic coastline. Now, they went in completely different directions. One had torn through the Mediterranean, striking a completely unprepared Europe. Another had plowed straight across Mexico and into the Pacific where it traveled south until finally dying out near the Galapagos Islands.

One thing had been established about this new development: wherever the storms went, tremendous damage and death were left in their wake. Whenever indications of a new one forming were announced, chaos reigned over cities in their path, adding to the fear of those who had experienced hurricanes in the past.

Even with the Space Force Directive having taken over much of the United States, refugees continued to pour into Florida, though most opted to head to Mexico. Looking around and seeing only similarly desperate people also taking everything they could get hold of, Mark carried his prizes toward the front of the store. He was greeted by three police cars, their occupants behind their vehicles with guns pointed at the door.

"Drop everything and put your hands in the air!" one of the officers ordered over his car's loudspeaker. Mark complied, then quickly broke into a run. There were too many people still in the store for the cops to bother with just him.

When he stopped to savor the sweet taste of freedom, Mark looked up at the oppressively hot afternoon sky. Opposite the dark clouds that warned of the approaching storm, another front appeared. This was not a storm cloud and something he had never seen before. Nonetheless, it triggered an instinct buried somewhere deep within him. He immediately turned around and ran back towards the police he had just evaded.

Seeing the crazed man charging at them, the officers raised their weapons and ordered the looter to halt. When he refused to stop, a single bullet through his heart put Marcus Edwards out of his misery. It was then that everyone noticed the approaching clouds. The blood-red anomaly was pulsating and churning as if it were made up of thousands of living creatures.

On a boat arriving at what had once been the Port of Miami, an elderly bearded man dressed in military garb looked at the sky and the clouds of advancing creatures. He had never thought he would be evacuated to the United States. Now, he had no other choice. The hurricanes had wiped out his country and there was nothing he could do about it. He laughed slightly to himself. At least the Americans had gotten similar treatment.

His small yacht, with his cabinet and several friends and family members, could easily make its way through the city. However, as he watched the intimidating storm clouds and the horrific mass that churned with blood-red animals of a sort he had never thought possible, something told the ex-Cuban dictator that he would not find refuge in the Land of Opportunity.

Suddenly, he heard a high-pitched shriek. Turning to the left, he saw a nightmarish red bird diving towards his boat. His guards opened fire on the beast, shredding its body with high-velocity machine gun rounds. The remains of the monster slammed into the water next to the yacht, splashing the Cuban leader who cursed in Spanish. As he brushed the water and bits of flesh off, nobody noticed the Gyaos that came in from the opposite direction. He screamed wildly as it lifted him into the sky, his guards too afraid to shoot and possibly hit their boss. As the demonic bird began to eat him alive, Fidel Castro wished he had had better relations with the U.S. Maybe if the Cold War hadn't hindered them, Russia and America could have combined to overcome the alien threats when they first arose and the world wouldn't have to deal with multiple invasions and global warming...

Everyone who saw the clouds turned and ran in horror. As beams of sonic energy began to rain down on the hapless citizens of Florida, the hurricane also moved closer, its high winds carrying the Gyaos over their new feeding grounds. A fleet of alien vessels high above observed it all.

"What are they?" Tuket asked, intrigued by the appearance of the new monsters. In a moment, a science officer accessed the proper data file.

"They are called GYAOS, sir. They were created long ago by one of the ancient Cosmos-spawned civilizations, the same one that made Gamera."

"Do they pose any threat to us?"

"They seem to only want to feed, sir. I do not think they will attack our ships." Tuket watched in fascination as the Gyaos began to pluck every human from the ground and eat it either atop one of the buildings or while still in the air. It was a bloody massacre! They seemed to be more efficient than the Kilaaks themselves in exterminating every lifeform they came across.

When the city was stripped bare of organic beings, either dead or alive, the creatures rose back into the skies, becoming a cloud of doom once more. If it was possible, there seemed to be even more of them than when they had arrived.

"They are incredible breeders," the Kilaak biologist remarked as if reading Tuket's mind. "I would like to have a sample of one to study. Perhaps -" A klaxon suddenly blared on the bridge of the ship.

"Sir! King Ghidorah has found us and he is closing on our position. Fast!" an ensign barked with distinguishable fear in his voice. Tuket turned to him quickly.

"Do we have a visual?" The holographic image of the King of Terror appeared on the wallscreen and Tuket's eyes widened in amazement. King Ghidorah cackled insanely as the Gyaos dove and tore at him. Hordes of the creatures latched onto his flesh, ripping at his scales and creating a blood-flow from his body that seemed endless. Ghidorah shrieked in pain as one of the horrid beasts pecked his eye, bursting the orb and causing a thick gelatinous bloody goo to pour down his face. The Destroyer of Worlds snarled and blasted the Gyaos away with his gravity beam. He then cut three lines of death in the Gyaos ranks but they were almost instantly filled.

Shaking violently to get rid the creatures clinging to his body, Ghidorah snatched several from the sky. Biting down on their surprisingly frail bodies, he crushed them instantly but this tactic wasn't working. Every Gyaos he killed was replaced with two more and they were getting bigger.

An 80-meter behemoth appeared amidst the swarm and dove at Ghidorah, wrapping its talons around his center neck. The space dragon threw his other two heads up and tore both legs off the beast but that didn't deter it. It opened its blood-soaked mouth and fired a beam of sonic energy, unlike anything Ghidorah had ever been attacked with before. It cut through his shield easily. He cackled wildly as the beam tore a hole in his wing. Ghidorah fired his wing lightning straight up, causing the offending Gyaos to explode in a shower of blood and flesh, none of which reached the ground as the swarm of ravenous monsters devoured the grisly remains.

As the mass of Gyaos fired their beams at the King of Terror chasing their largest member, the space monster began to shine brighter and brighter. Soon, the Gyaos and even the Kilaaks were forced to turn away from the spectacle as he became too brilliant to look at. Suddenly, an electrical shockwave blasted forth from his body. Every Gyaos within a half mile was incinerated, cooked alive or knocked from the sky. Several Kilaak ships exploded and crashed to the ground as well. King Ghidorah bellowed in victory as the remaining Gyaos parted around him, giving way to their new master.

His position secure, King Ghidorah whirled around and searched for Tuket's ship as ghostly green energy formed about him and healed his wounds. The Kilaak gripped the edges of his seat as his ship took a dive to the left, avoiding the massive shockwave the monster had produced. It began to spin in the air and turned north.

"Get us out of here!" he ordered. Nobody objected as the command ship sped away, passing Ghidorah and flying through the remains of the Gyaos swarm. The King of Terror snarled and began to follow as fast as he could but one part of him knew that he would never be able to catch up.

"Where are we going, sir?" one officer inquired. Tuket looked at him.

"To Washington. We will loose Ghidorah there and let the Space Force Directive -" Tuket spoke of them as if they were lowly insects. " - Deal with him. After that, we will continue north. We still have much work to do on this planet and with the arrival of these Gyaos, it is only a matter of time before every living creature falls to our might - King Ghidorah included." Tuket gazed at the wallscreen which showed the space dragon struggling to catch up to his fleet, cackling in frustration and confusion as he called out his name mentally.

"I am sorry..." Tuket whispered so softly that none of his crew heard him.


	14. Northern Tier

_The Death of Megalon_

Mothra soared through the clear night sky, the full moon making the ocean below a beautiful display of shimmering reflections. She could not properly enjoy it with so much to think and fret about. With a sigh, she continued her long trek, banking to steer toward her destination. Her rapid passage kicked up a shower of sparkling water behind her. Suddenly, the sound of other beating wings echoed across the ocean, accompanied by a rapid buzzing sound. Megalon shot across the ocean like a rocket, throwing up a trail of mist as he went.

"Megalon!" Mothra cried out to get his attention. The great beetle skidded to a stop, the trail of water catching up with him and showering them both in moisture. Mothra hovered in place before him.

"Yes? What is... what happened to you?" he asked, taking notice of her still-regenerating injuries from the Nebulan satellite's attack. She shook herself out of her surprise and to rid her fur of its wetness.

"It was the Nebulans but they have been destroyed. But now, I have an urgent message. Gamera will need help fighting the Gyaos. You should head in that direction." She pointed toward the south.

"Righ-" Their conversation was cut short as a swarm of crimson explosive particles surrounded the duo, filling their vision with red dots. Mothra was momentarily stunned as Megalon was hit with another blast of the shotgun ray.

"Prepare to taste my steel, pretty one!" Gigan swooped down at Mothra, his chainsaw arced back and ready for a swing. Mothra, still blinded, didn't see the cyborg demon charging towards her. Suddenly, a mighty war cry rang out, causing the ocean to vibrate from the sound. Megalon rushed up at Gigan from below, blocking his strike.

"I never knew you could go low enough to hit a girl, Gigan." Anger flared in his bulbous eyes as the monster cackled in his recent ally's face before they pushed off from each other. Hovering in place, Gigan's blood-red visor glowed and reflected off the water's surface below. Whatever eyes it concealed glared at Megalon whose massive orange optics stared back with the fiery hatred of the god he was. Gigan shifted his position and Megalon did likewise, his eyes never leaving his counterpart's. Behind him was an island a few miles away.

"It's always been all work and no play with you, Megalon. There is never any time for... fun, is there?"

"I suppose not but it is Friday night..." Megalon stated.

"Then let's dance!" An aerial game of cat and mouse began as Gigan swooped down close to the water and headed for the island. Megalon gave chase, staying on his hooked tail during every move he made. A tidal wave of mist erupted below them as the several-thousand-ton titans moved at Mach speed over the water.

Gigan suddenly whipped around, flying backwards. Megalon skidded to a halt as they continued to move across the water. Gigan roared and fired off his dual chest disks. The great knight tried to dodge but a blade slashed through his helm, leaving a deep wound.

"Did I do that?" Gigan cackled madly. He whipped back around and flew straight to the island. Megalon let loose a shrill cry of rage and put on a burst of speed that left the ocean's surface in an explosion of water. The dog-fighting duo flew upward at an angle, gradually getting closer to land. Megalon tried to close in and grab hold of him but Gigan was too quick, easily avoiding his pursuer. The Seatopian guardian fired a volley of napalm balls which exploded around Gigan but his course was not altered. Suddenly, a plan sprang into Megalon's head. He fell back a few hundred meters and fired off a volley of napalm balls, the extremely explosive orbs whipping past Gigan.

"Come on... turn around," he muttered to himself, staring intently at his enemy.

"Looks like you missed again, Mega -" The burning spheres struck and Gigan fell from the sky screaming, a fireball several times larger than himself on his finned back. Megalon leapt forward, flying straight at the demon for all he was worth. He stuck out his arm, clothes-lining Gigan in the stomach. The cyborg gasped for air as they continued on, locked together but climbing higher and higher. Gigan took his free arm and swatted Megalon in the face, breaking off his relentless attack. When they broke apart and took separate paths, Megalon jumped down to the sandy shore of the beach and skidded in the loose dirt. Gigan did likewise and fired off his Shotgun Ray. Megalon dodged the attack and aimed napalm balls at Gigan's sliding feet. The leathery demon leapt into the air and flew straight for him.

Megalon ducked Gigan's tackle but the wily cyborg's tail latched onto his horn. Gigan tried to drag him down but was stopped dead in his tracks. Megalon flung all of his weight forward, straining against his enemy. With one last jerk of his neck, he flung him over his head and onto the ground.

"You pathetic, wretched demon!" Megalon dashed toward him, his battle-tested lance held high above his head. "It will be a pleasure to tear your head from your body!" He brought the drill down but Gigan whipped upward in a fury of crimson and black, catching it with his dual chainsaw weapon. "Did they have to play 'Frankenstein' on you again?" Megalon taunted. Gigan swung his free arm upward but Megalon caught it and held it down.

"Foolish knight! You dare mock the Reaper?" Gigan started up the revolving blades. Razor teeth smashed against the metal drills, creating a cascade of sparks that encircled the two locked opponents. Megalon lifted himself up off the ground, using Gigan's strength against him and slammed his heel into the side of his head repeatedly. Gigan reeled back, open for another strike. The insectoid god rushed forward and upper-cut Gigan in his toothed beak, sending him high over his head before landing in a heap. The space demon's breath was hoarse and pained as blood trickled from the corner of his visor and mouth. Megalon fell back, giving his enemy an opportunity to get back to his feet. Looking down at Gigan, he watched him struggle.

"You think... you are some great hero, Megalon?" Gigan gasped. "But guess what, roach boy. News flash!" Gigan began to stumble towards him. "You were just like me. You slaughtered just as many things as I did." Gigan's bloody beak had a toothy grin. Megalon boiled with anger. "And you know what else? I think you enjoyed it just as much as I did..." Gigan gave a loud mechanical cackle.

"No... I was defending my people and my kingdom," Megalon pleaded his case.

"Don't mock my intelligence, you stupid insect! You enjoyed it! You loved the screams of creatures in burning torment as you tore through their buildings! You LOVED it." Gigan had regained his posture and was grinning at him. "You always were a gelded little puppy."

"...No!" Megalon dashed forward, burning with anger at his enemy but he wasn't thinking. Gigan leapt to the side, clothes-lining him and bringing his knee out to land on the back of Megalon's head. Gigan raked the deadly saws along his chest and face. The revolving teeth ripped chunks in a great shower of ichor. Megalon did not cry out, not wanting to give Gigan that satisfaction.

"Scream, damn you!" Gigan became infuriated and swung a saw across Megalon's chest, ripping up chunks of his armor. He continued to tear into the silent guardian, sticking his saw into an open wound. "I want to hear you... SCREAM!" Gigan lifted a saw high above his head and slammed it straight down into Megalon's side and held it there. It roared as did its sadistic master. Chunks of flesh, armor and bone flew about, soaking Gigan in crimson. Megalon gasped for air, his eyes wide with pain. He felt cold and his vision began to get fuzzy. He didn't want to die like this ...not like this. Gigan was panting also.

"Now let's go to work on that pretty face of yours..." A loud whoosh of air and a shadow fell over Megalon's body. He turned and saw Gigan's face get planted in the sand.

"Come to your feet and face me!" Mothra roared in challenge, glaring at the demon. Sparkles of light swirled around her. "I am tired of this charade. It ends NOW!" Before Gigan could react, Megalon's drill was under his jaw, pushing it up at a painful angle. He held Gigan's arm back and put his weight into his spine, immobilizing the other one.

"Do it..." Megalon looked deep into Mothra's eyes. She was shocked to see him soaked in his own blood but he fought on with as much courage as when he had first entered this war. "Do it!" he roared again, pulling Gigan's arm. Satisfied when the limb cracked, Mothra silently began to hover over the locked combatants. Golden bolts of energy flashed about as sparkling energy danced into being. The ancient Seal of the Elias began to form like a spotlight above them. Gigan gasped and a loud maniacal cackle erupted from his maw.

"Is this your grand final moment? Your encore, old friend? Well, I am glad to be a part of it."

"I will see you in hell!"

"...And it will hold no surprises for us." The Seal intensified, releasing more energy and light. Gigan and Megalon were obscured by the blinding radiance as the very ground they stood upon collapsed into a mammoth and seemingly bottomless sinkhole. When the dust settled, the two kaiju were gone.

Mothra was alone once again. There was no cheering for the hero, nor would there be. Only the silent night applauded Megalon's valiant effort. Mothra dropped her head. She was so weak and tired of this war! Never had she been in such a conflict that caused the death of the ones she held dear. Bronze particles began to float around her, shimmering with an unnatural light and she didn't feel as empty. It was as if Megalon was with her again as his essence floated gently down onto her wings and revived her. Mothra lifted off with renewed vitality and once again flew across the ocean toward her destination. She had to win this war for Megalon's sake so that his death would not be in vain.

_A Time to Mourn_

Throughout Seatopia, a gong tolled, echoing across the underground nation. This was the saddest and darkest day that had ever befallen the ancient kingdom in the countless millennia of its great history. Seatopia was a country in mourning. In almost one fell swoop, they had lost both their King whom his subjects adored and the god they worshiped.

In the long legacy of the Earth and its countless and vast civilizations, there were times when legendary individuals of high renown, great stature and beloved by all were laid to rest. None of their final honors could compare to what history bore witness to this day. An entire nation gathered en masse to weep together at the terrible losses it had suffered in a display of unbridled love and unity that made anything that had come before pale in comparison.

They all stood before the towering royal palace with Seatopia's new king, the former Prince Hector and his beloved Angelique. Dressed in the regal garb customary of a ceremony such as this, they stood hand-in-hand with the entire population assembled before them. Hector stepped away from his bride to take the torch that would set ablaze the funeral pyre that his father, the former king, now rested upon. The rest of the royal court looked on forlornly as everyone present bowed their heads in respect for the passing monarch. As the flames reached skyward, Hector stepped back to rejoin Angelique, fighting back the tears that threatened to reveal themselves. She took notice of his great sorrow and placed her hand upon his face.

"This is not a time to hold back your feelings, my king," she assured him.

"I cannot let my sorrow rule me, Angelique. Seatopia is in my care now. I must remain strong," he whispered with a shaky voice.

"Tomorrow you can be strong, my love. But today... we grieve." She wiped away a tear from his cheek with her thumb as King Hector thought back to what he had once said to his father.

Wouldn't it be a more fitting end for Megalon to die in battle than in a mound of dirt at our kingdom's doorstep? Wouldn't that be a more fitting end for the knight of Seatopia? And that was how both Megalon and his father had died, fighting against evil and oppression, boldly sacrificing themselves to end the threat of the Nebulans once and for all. Their selflessness had saved them all and for that and so many other reasons beyond count or measure, they would never be forgotten. Not in this lifetime, not even a hundred lifetimes from now.

Despite this terrible tragedy, the sadness and despair, Seatopia would live on. Both Megalon and King Antonio may have died but their spirits and their memories would remain for all eternity. With this thought in mind, Hector turned to face his fellow countrymen.

"Noble people of Seatopia, as I stand before you we suffer through the saddest and most painful day our country has ever known. And by royal succession and whether I wanted it or not, I am now your King." Hector paused a moment before continuing as he surveyed the crowd, taking notice of their looks of sorrow, worry, concern and even fear.

"I know there are some of you who feel that despite my bloodline, I have no right to be King of Seatopia. That I am too young, too brash, too inexperienced. You would be correct. My father would often bring this to my attention and I would become very angry and frustrated with him. But now, I truly understand what he meant and the great weight he bore as our ruler... and as my father.

"I can not replace my father nor would I ever dream of doing so. If my will be done, I would have it that he still be here at this very moment, even trading my life for his if need be. I may not have my father's strength nor his experience and wisdom and, by Megalon, I can only wish that I had half the courage and tenacity that he possessed. But I can tell you this: what I do have - what we all have - is the example he set as our beloved and cherished King, which we will all follow so that his ideals, much like his spirit, will live on for all time to come." Hector again paused as he realized that the looks upon the faces of his people were beginning to change, as if hope was starting to shine within their eyes once again.

"This is indeed a day for mourning and grief but it is also a time for unity! It is not I as your new King who will make our homeland strong but our entire race unified, stronger than ever before, that will ensure our perseverance and very survival. You all will give me the strength I need to rule this nation and see it through these dark times. When we breach the ominous darkness that threatens to consume us and break out into the light of a new day, our country will be greater than it has ever been!"

The people exploded into a chorus of cheers and began to chant his name, thrusting their fists up in the air. With pride, Hector looked at Angelique whose face bore a stunning smile for her King. He allowed himself to savor it before turning back to the crowd once more and holding his hands up for silence.

"My first act as your new King is to announce my betrothal and marriage to the woman whom I have chosen as my Queen, my beautiful Angelique." The love he felt for her filled his smile that outshone even Seatopia's artificial sun as he turned and motioned for her to step forward and stand at his side.

"I know that some of you may be thinking that she is not of royal blood, or even a member of the royal court. But nonetheless, this is the woman who has captured my heart, winning it with her love, her kindness, her courage and her compassion. These are the qualities that will define true nobility from this moment forward," Hector proclaimed as the people once again cheered their new King. He turned to Angelique and went down on one knee before her, taking her right hand in both of his.

"My beloved Angelique, who has changed my life forever, without whom I could not possibly go on... will you marry me?" A dead silence fell upon the entire nation as her answer was eagerly awaited.

"Yes, my King. I will marry you," she replied with tears of love and joy in her eyes. Hector kissed the top of her hand before leaping up and sweeping her up in a spin. As her feet came back down, they shared a kiss and a long loving embrace as the people's voices rose up once more in ecstatic joy. A new chapter began in the long history of Seatopia, one that would hopefully usher in a new era of peace and happiness.

On the island that had been the site of Megalon and Gigan's climactic battle, the pitch black of night was broken by a chainsaw shakily rising up from the enormous pit the two monsters had fallen into. A badly damaged Gigan feebly pulled himself out of the giant hole and weakly crawled across the sand, his internal systems failing. Dragging himself over the former battlefield like a crippled soldier, he managed to move a few more feet before collapsing, his eye flickering and then fading to darkness. His one last crackling metallic cry sounded sickly and raspy.

Watching from nearby, a shadowy figure made a call on a small interfacing device. "He just reappeared, sir."

"Excellent! What is his condition?"

"For all intents and purposes, dead - if such a term can be applied to a cybernetic organism. Megalon really did a number on him."

"Any sign of Megalon?"

"No, sir. But Gigan appears to be drenched in his blood. What are your orders, sir?"

"Move the flatbed carrier in and bring him back to the base immediately. We have a lot of work to do."

"Yes, sir." With that, the call ended and the figure motioned for a recovery crew with heavy transport equipment to approach the cyborg's body. Behind them at the shoreline was a massive cargo ship coming into position to lower its loading ramp. Under the cover of darkness on this moonless night, they could work unnoticed.

_Attack on Beijing_

Gudis' abhorrent child had reached Beijing in record time, much to the horror of those dwelling there. The Forbidden City had remained as it was since the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties centuries ago. Without warning, the gigantic creature suddenly appeared in the heart of this ancient area, smashing its way into the Imperial Palace. The structure had stood for over 500 years and served as the home of no less than 24 of China's Emperors. Now, it was being demolished in mere seconds.

As civilians fled in terror in all directions, Garasharp curled into the devastated remains of the once majestic Palace as if it were a nest. He then unleashed a terrible fog-like mist from his jaws that blanketed the Forbidden City. Immediately, people started to drop dead as the lethal gas overtook them.

Their internal scanners zeroed in on its life signs, two cyborgs had been sent to intercept the beast. Titanosaurus jumped off Mechagodzilla's back and landed hard on the age-old brick pavement. He quickly moved in, firing his missile turret, arm laser and cluster blasts while Mechagodzilla remained airborne, using his eye beams for a combined assault on the serpentine kaiju's body. Garasharp was easily thousands of meters in length and dwarfed both mechs in size as it reared its cobra-like head up that by itself was as large as its assailants.

"Look at the size of that thing!" Bordu exclaimed to everyone present at the UWP headquarters watching the mechs' onboard video feed. The kaiju's great mass added to its resiliency as the firepower it was being hit with sent chunks of bloody flesh in all directions but this was only the outer layers of its skin. The weaponry wasn't penetrating deep enough to hit anything vital. Suddenly, Garasharp lashed out with its massive tail and slammed Mechagodzilla hard, knocking him out of the sky. The Simeon construct went flying into the Hall of Supreme Harmony which was rather ironic, considering the violent circumstances. Garasharp reached down, snapping its huge jaws at Titanosaurus who rolled out of the way as it turned its glowing eyes at a new target. A pair of powerful beams plowed into him like a Mack truck.

Even with his force field up, the sheer power pushed Titanosaurus all the way to the eastern corner of the Forbidden City, destroying countless pavilions along the way. If not for their protective force fields, the beams that Garasharp was using would soon reduce him and Mechagodzilla to scrap in seconds.

"Will the force fields hold against that magnitude of firepower?" Bordu asked.

"I guess we will find out," Argon replied as Mechagodzilla rejoined the fray and landed directly in front of Garasharp, unloading everything he had into the monster but still there was no real penetration. The devilish serpent quickly brought its tail around to fire a sonic blast from its tip that hit Mechagodzilla so hard that he flew even farther and smashed through the Five Phoenix Gate at the entrance to the Forbidden City. His metallic frame tore a trench through the center of Tianimen Square.

"I am guessing now would be a bad time to ask if it would be at all possible to fight this thing without wrecking too much of China's most valued and ancient architecture?" General Aso wondered.

"I wish I could say yes, General, but they are fighting machines, after all. And with highly destructive firepower. We did not have them programmed with a lot of finesse," Argon admitted regrettably.

Titanosaurus was moving around to the creature's rear, taking advantage of the brief distraction Mechagodzilla had provided as it slowly moved its massive form amid the moderate cover. Garasharp kept bobbing its head, as if looking at where Mechagodzilla had landed. The mammoth snake beast brought its head down to almost street level and Titanosaurus leaped onto the back. He hung on for dear life as the kaiju flung its head in all directions, trying to get the cyborg off. Titanosaurus brought his laser cutter to bear, hoping that if he could hang on long enough and concentrate the beam, he would be able to breach the monster's skull. Garasharp threw his head straight back, pile-driving Titanosaurus into the ground like a jack hammer. He then hit his stunned opponent with a sonic blast that sent him flying backwards and crashing into the Imperial Gardens at the far back of the ancient city.

The monster turned back around, only to see Mechagodzilla coming at him at full speed, right into the serpent's face like a battering ram, letting his speed, weight and momentum work for him as the dazed creature fell off to one side, crashing into three nearby temples and smashing them to splinters. Reeling from the initial impact, Mechagodzilla crashed down not too far away in the main courtyard of the Palace but quickly sprang back up.

Now angry, Garasharp rose also, shrieking as he fired his eye beams once again. Mechagodzilla started a low level flight pattern with the destructive blasts following as the serpent moved its head. The mech circled as Titanosaurus waited. When Garasharp brought the beams around, he threw the end of the creature's own tail into the blast. The monster roared in pain and anger as it was sheared off, leaving a blood-spewing stump. Moving with a sudden burst of speed, he pounced on Mechagodzilla, wrapping him up in his constricting coils. His force field kept the mech safe from being crushed but he was immobilized and being bathed in a point-blank blast of eye beams.

The field was pushed to its limit as Titanosaurus moved in, unloading with his forearm laser which managed to obliterate Garasharp's right eye. In a howl of pain, he threw his head back, breaking off his attack so that Mechagodzilla could struggle free. Flying up into the air, the mech brought its ultimate weapons to bear as plasma missiles loaded into its hands for firing. A full salvo hit Garasharp, causing the beast to bellow once more. Mechagodzilla followed up with some impaler missiles also loaded with plasma which stuck like darts in the open wounds that the previous salvo had caused. With this two-step process, the kaiju's thick skin was finally pierced.

Garasharp swayed and smashed everything in sight as the burning plasma ate away at him from inside and out. Like any wounded animal, he lashed out, firing a beam from his remaining eye, only to have Titanosaurus leap into the path of it with his reflector dish engaged. The singular ray by itself had tremendous power and started to push the cyborg back, even with Mechagodzilla behind him and pushing against his back with his feet digging into the brick and dirt of the courtyard. When he finally came to a stop, Titanosaurus fired back the augmented beam and blew half of Garasharp's head and face off.

With one final roar of misery, the titanic serpent crashed down into what remained of the Palace with a tremulous impact and lay still. The devastating duo prepared to depart when suddenly, Garasharp lunged up with a roar, apparently not as dead as everyone had been led to believe. In one swift movement, he struck out like a cobra, snatching Mechagodzilla up in its jaws and swallowing the cyborg whole.

"Mechagodzilla!" Bordu yelled, believing he had just watched one of their defenders get eaten. But as Garasharp turned towards Titanosaurus, there was a sudden rumbling from within the beast as missiles, cluster blasts and lasers tore through its hide from the inside out and the kaiju shrieked in agony. A few moments later, its entire head exploded into a million pieces. Mechagodzilla fell to the ground with a thud and Garasharp's mutilated, headless body landed behind him. The cyborg got up, covered in blood and guts and shook himself off almost like a wet dog.

"Now... it is over," Argon declared, looking back at the others in the room.

"That is good to hear. I do not believe my heart could have taken much more of that," the Prime Minister confessed with a laugh.

"Bring the machines back to base and have the proper decontamination measures ready when they arrive," the Commander ordered. A few moments later, Mechagodzilla ignited his jet propulsion and lifted off into the sky with Titanosaurus in tow.

_Dunkirk Redux_

Not since taking on the Nazi Empire had the United States amassed a force the size of the one gathered on the plains of Minnesota. Now, even fighting Nazis seemed more appealing. Despite the devastation engendered even by the planet itself, the government had managed to bring all remaining U.S. soldiers from around the globe together. Confident, they now traversed a land covered in ash with the smell of death in the air but they were restless.

"So... the Feds promised us these supa weapons. What the Hell are we supposed ta do with them?" What this infantryman was carrying was an experimental hand-held maser, designed to take out Godzilla's parasites in case he ever came to visit an American city. Hefting it, the soldier examined its blue energy case. "This thing is supposed ta handle bugs?"

"We're supposed to be handling those, Corporal Bernstein. Bugs from outer space."

"Feels like we're inna movie, ya know? Only in the movies, WE'RE supposed ta win!"

"We WILL win, soldier!"

"Yeah, sure. Uh... I mean yeah, sure, SIR!"

A sudden rumbling was heard as a massive armored division completed its deployment. Designed to take on walking beasts that defied the laws of physics, these super-masers were the cutting edge of technology. The one million soldiers, volunteers and unwilling draftees hoped that these engines of death designed for gigantic monsters could handle beings from other worlds, worlds that were very different than theirs. A slight booming registered also.

"Oh, damn...", swore a soldier in a Piedmont drawl. "We ain't gonna like this..." A whirling sound came as battle craft the Pentagon had identified as originating on Planet X, code-named YUGGOTH by the higher-ups, deployed. The booming grew louder. As it continued, a platoon of what appeared to be giant mechanical penguins approached.

"Hey, wise guy! What's your knowledge of movies tell you?"

"That the Ninja Zombie Robot Pirates always win?"

"Ever consider that movies are fiction?"

"Oh, yeah..." A sudden crackling sound came as batteries of maser energy were fired, impacting on the aerial craft and causing them to explode.

"Ready RPMs!" When a detachment of Special Forces soldiers brought their weapons into action, all was noise and confusion.

Corporal Bernstein staggered across the battlefield as the droning of the MOGERA engines increased, expending blasts of an eldritch energy from a far-distant world that created an eerie green light where the masers blew up. He unleashed his weapon at one of them, triggering an explosion in its knee joint. As it began to lurch, a blast of glowing purple energy slammed into the thing. It whined and then imploded as the micro-oxygen shell destroyed it.

Overcome by the deafening noise, Bernstein fell, feeling a hand. He looked at it and discovered it didn't have an arm attached. Panicking, he threw it away from him, firing at a MOGERA's turret arm as another micro-oxygen shell slammed into it. The battlefield soon became a scene of horror as the lumbering machines kept coming, wave after wave of them, producing smells of acrid electricity that burned the soldier's ears. The armored force was proving more successful than had ever been imagined as micro-oxygen corroded the MOGERAs.

Firing at random, it seemed a dull fog had come over Bernstein until a hand grabbed him and someone said, "Congratulations, Lieutenant!"

"Wha-what happ-happened to the Sergeant?"

"He's dead. They won't find enough of him to bury." Bernstein began to laugh deliriously, thrilled to be alive.

"How many are still with us?"

"We took 60% casualties. You and I and about 1,300 other guys are all the infantry that remains."

"And the tanks?"

"Still around." Suddenly, a much more syncopated booming was heard.

"Oh... Christ," said the newly-minted Lieutenant and the newly-minted Colonel when a great roar announced a monstrous gorilla bounding onto the battlefield. It raised its arm and a wave of electricity struck the entire armored division at once. A whining sound accompanied the low rumbling that heralded a much larger MOGERA force.

_Milwaukee_

Kong and the MOGERA army were making their way through the downtown area when the great ape noticed that something had already caused major devastation. To his right about a thousand meters away, Gudis sat in the lower part of a smashed building as if it was an easy chair. He held the ripped-off top of another structure which still contained dozens of people, some still alive. Grabbing a handful, he tossed them into his mouth like popcorn. The hapless humans screamed in terror as they were scooped up. Taking notice of Kong, Gudis turned his head and stopped chewing long enough to wave at the simian juggernaut slowly walking toward him. Kong motioned for the MOGERAs behind him to stop where they were.

"What is he doing here?" Lord Koban exclaimed from the main control room of the Mysterian's North Pole base, obviously not pleased.

"Gudis!" General Kugo was also shocked by the reappearance of the dreaded abomination.

"Order Kong and the MOGERAs to attack immediately! And tell them not to let up until the Gudis is just a stain upon the ground!" Koban ordered, nearly in a panic.

"No, wait!" Kugo quickly cut in, eliciting a surprised and angry look from the King. "We do not know what the Gudis' intentions are yet and should not react hastily. This is a delicate situation, sir," he explained.

"I do not care what his intentions are! We have to attack it and kill it before it kills us!" Koban roared.

"We do not even know if that will work. This creature survived the combined might of over half a dozen kaiju and war machines, as well as a unified alien offensive and is sitting there as if it never happened!"

The King was also seething about a situation occurring closer than the United States. "I will not tolerate my orders being questioned, Kugo. You know the penalty for such an act! We attack now!"

"Yes. Just charge in half-cocked because that approach worked so well for your father. He would not listen to me either!" The general's anger was close to matching Koban's. Although his commander said nothing in response, he could see that his last comment had made him livid and realized just how close he was to paying for it. One of the other officers called out for their attention, diffusing the tense situation between them for the time being.

"What is it?" Koban sputtered at this further distraction.

"They appear to be having a conversation, sir."

"What?" Koban was quite surprised by what he was seeing on the monitor.

"Gotta admit, you put on one heck of a show!" Gudis spoke telepathically as Kong heard a deep booming voice in his head.

"You look like YOU are enjoying yourself," Kong grunted in kaiju-speak.

"And why wouldn't I be? I'm kicking back, enjoying a little snack, watching you wreak death, chaos and destruction. What's not to like? All I need now is a beer and I'm good to go. Oh, wait a minute... Is that a brewery over there?" Gudis looked over Kong's right shoulder. "Listen. If you can just leave that standing, it would be just swell, you know?" he quipped as Kong turned his head toward the sprawling plant and then back at the Gudis with a cocked eyebrow.

Is this creature insane or what? Kong thought to himself.

"Yes, very much so. You should try it sometime. It's a lot of fun!" Kong realized that he must have read his thoughts.

"You really find yourself amusing, don't you?" Gudis only half heard the comment as he plucked a very obese human out of the building he was holding.

"Ooooooohhhhh, look at you! Bet you could clog an artery all by yourself, couldn't ya?" he joked before tossing the screaming morsel down his gullet.

"You are in my way."

"Am I now?" Gudis smiled as he rose up, tossing the building chunk aside. The few survivors still inside screamed as it crashed to the ground. The monster was right in Kong's face, although he was slightly larger than the towering ape.

Everyone back at the Mysterian base watched the intense stare-down with bated breath. The two behemoths' eyes remained locked on one another with no sign of fear or wavering by either of them.

"You ever see THE WIZARD OF OZ?" Gudis suddenly asked as his expression abruptly changed from menacing to jovial.

"What?" Kong replied in confusion.

"No, I don't suppose you have. It's odd 'cuz for some reason, I'm visualizing you with wings and a fez on your head right now." Kong was not amused and the Gudis could see it as the giant ape clenched his metallic fists. "Oh, come now! The truth is, I rather admire you. There are, after all, only a few beings on this planet who can lay claim to defeating the mighty Godzilla in combat. It is a unique distinction that separates you from the other weak and pathetic lifeforms that populate this puny world.

"Look at you, standing before me as you are, whereas creatures across the vastness of the cosmos would flee screaming in terror at just the mere mention of my name. But you are not afraid, are you? No, you are strong and indomitable. Well, at least as strong and as indomitable as a giant monkey that flings poo and gets plastered on berry juice can be anyway...

"Well, I must be off now. This encounter proved very entertaining, by the way. Oh, you wouldn't happen to know whether or not Will Ferrell was among the casualties when you smashed your way through Hollywood, would you? As a comedian, he simply isn't funny and really does need to die." The only response he got was another confused look. "No? Oh, well. I was just curious anyway." Gudis turned and leaped into the sky, unfolding his wings and flying out of sight. Kong watched him leave, snorting in disgust before signaling the MOGERAs to continue onward.

At the North Pole Base, a collective sigh of relief could be heard. For all of his bravado, Koban was terrified of the Gudis and wanted no part of him but he would never admit that to anyone. He finally turned to face General Kugo.

"If you ever countermand my orders again for any reason, I will have you killed. Is that understood?" Koban had regained his intimidating posture and swagger.

"Yes, sir," Kugo replied, hiding his own contempt as the Mysterian King departed.

Later in a large, circular room was known as the War Bridge, located in the heart of the main dome.

Along its walls were advanced computers, video screens and consoles. In the center of this gigantic area was a raised platform, a single swivel chair, computer consoles and a video display screen. General Kugo was seated here, resplendent in his yellow suit and helmet bearing the insignia that designated his high military rank. On his belt was the sword passed down over the centuries from one Mysterian General to the next. The weapon was still as pristine and deadly as it was at the time of its creation. Its previous owner, General Wato, had left it on Earth the day his spaceship was destroyed en route to Mars. Now Darius once again wore the proud symbol of Mysterian might as he did during the first Earth invasion. There were five of these swords in existence and only issued to the highest ranking officers. It was no surprise that Lord Koban himself carried one on his belt as well.

The War Bridge was now occupied by all of the so-called 'arm-chair soldiers' of the Mysterian military. They directed their forces in the United States, determining which cities were best suited for attack by which elements of their massive army. Injected with a special serum that would keep them awake for 24 hours without drowsiness or fatigue, it was assured that nobody would rest until the United States was under the Space Force Directive's control.

To the veteran officer that Kugo was, the hum of the massive computers and constant voices of his subordinates was not in the least bit tiresome. At times, he was known to remain fully awake for months on end. Plus, this job was nothing compared to the countless hours he had fought on the battlefield. He had been and still was a model soldier to any race of beings. War was nothing new to him. Aside from his battle experience, Kugo was also a brilliant tactician. Nearly every movement the Directive made was at his command. Now, he was about to make another major decision in the Mysterian siege plan.

"Lieutenant," he asked from his command seat. "How close are we to the Minnesota/Wisconsin border?"

"Our forces should be reaching Duluth in another two miles, sir," the officer responded after checking his computer. All soldiers were expected to have studied the various locations within the United States and be familiar with their names. So far, there had been no slip-ups in getting resources to where they were supposed to be.

"Excellent. Take note of the projected attack plan now on the main screen." Kugo keyed his console to bring up a map of the continental United States on the enormous panel on the wall facing him. Up the West Coast, across the north, down the northeast and ending in Washington, D.C. was a red line indicating his strategy. Patches of orange showed areas that the Mysterian forces had already taken. A large yellow circle showed the Black Scorpion fence around the central states. A blue line across the south indicated the Xian attack wave.

"Note the separation of our forces following the crossing of the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. I want the northern line to be made up of 25% of our MOGERAs, our ships and our half of the Viran contingent. This will be known as Alpha Unit.

"On the southern front, I want Kong, the other 75% of the MOGERAs and twenty of our ships for observation purposes. This will be known as the Kong Unit. The MOGERAs will follow Kong's orders which we will be sending to him. Relay this plan to our troops and the Xians. I want our forces to advance every hour on the hour. Every two hundred miles, I will determine where they will strike next."

_Detroit_

Captain Marlon Rains had seen Hell and lived to tell about it. In 1968, he enlisted in the Air Force to make something of his life. After what seemed like a millennia, he was discharged after serving in Viet Nam for nine months. From the day he was air-lifted out until this point in time, he had lived with the horror that he experienced.

Many a night he awoke to the awful screaming of his brothers in arms, calling for their families thousands of miles away as they were being butchered by the Viet Cong. The stench of the hot jungle, the dead bodies and his own open wounds as he struggled just to breathe was what stuck with him more than anything. The smell was the most horrid thing a human could ever imagine. Rains was a fighter pilot who had been shot down and captured by the enemy. Eventually, the skills he had and extensive therapy for all he had witnessed in Viet Nam allowed him to work as a Boeing 747 pilot for Delta Airlines, flying out of Detroit, Michigan.

At 1:12 PM this day, most of his passengers were fathers, mothers, sons and daughters wanting to be with their families. When word finally reached them that the aliens were but a few states away, people were at a loss as to what to do about the invaders themselves. They did figure out that if they were going to die, they wanted it to be with their loved ones around them.

Captain Rains could see his destination in the distance. These days, landing there was like riding a bike. He was focused on his approach to the runway when his co-pilot pointed out to him that the city was half-way destroyed.

The robots and spacecraft that had been on television newscasts countless times were attacking the part that was not already reduced to rubble. His flight crew was at a loss for words. The plane were nearly out of fuel so he couldn't break off their approach and land somewhere else because there was no other landing strip near enough to handle the huge craft. One way or another, it was coming down. Rains and the co-pilot decided they would be better off landing than flying on EMPTY. The passengers were already becoming restless as they had noticed the condition of the city also.

"Attention, please. This is your captain speaking," Marlon said over the intercom. "I assure you that we are aware of what has happened in Detroit. There is no other place to land other than the airport. My crew and I ask that you exit the plane without panic when we land. I repeat, please stay calm and exit quickly when we land." His efforts did little to assure them. Screams could be heard as people got out of their seats to run to their friends or family members in other parts of the plane. The stewardesses' shouts for everyone to remain calm and in their seats were lost in the cacophony.

When the aircraft touched down, those not buckled in their seats were knocked to the floor and about the cabin. Marlon taxied up to the Delta terminal and cut the engines. The passengers headed for the exits, some who had been injured in the panic crawling along the aisles. From the cockpit, he could see why they hadn't been told of the situation. The tower had been obliterated and the airport itself showed signs of having been under attack. In the distance, two huge walls began to rise into the air as a dome was being placed over Detroit.

A jet aircraft streaked into the sky and exploded off to the left. Marlon looked back down at the devastation. Bodies littered the runway. When the invasion of Michigan began, people had tried to board any plane they could to escape. A large portion of Detroit was on fire. Even inside the plane, Rains could hear the screaming of the citizens of the city in the ever-increasing darkness the rising dome was creating.

"Attention pilots of human aircraft," a voice came over the radio. "Come out of your vehicle one by one slowly. You are captives of the Mysterian Alpha Unit. If you do not comply, we will be forced to destroy your aircraft." Then there was silence in the cockpit as Captain Rains put his head in his hands. The voice had asked if he would comply while passengers still onboard continued to scream. People outside cried for help. Explosions shook the ground as the aliens destroyed more of the city and killed more people. All of this was happening at once as Marlon tried to block it out but couldn't. It kept lodging itself deeper and deeper into his brain.

Not again he thought. Oh please not again!

"Will you comply?" the voice over the radio asked again.

Rains grabbed the mike and yelled, "I'll be damned if I will comply, you yellow sons-of-bitches!" He buckled his safety harness and restarted the engines. The plane made its way back to the runway, then gained speed until it lifted into the air.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" screamed the co-pilot.

"You will stop with that right now, Private! I will not be taken by them!"

"Private?" Then it hit him. "Marlon, listen to me! We're not in Viet Nam. You're in a Boeing 747 that's nearly out of fuel and we're about to be gunned down by aliens. Get a grip on yourself, man! You can't maneuver in a plane this size and even if you could, that dome is closing fast!"

"Me get a grip, son? You get a grip! Why did you enlist if you're going to turn chicken when the first bullet is fired? We can beat 'em, boy! What have we here anyway? It seems those Cong sons-a-bitches keep finding new ways to try and outsmart me! A dome? Ha! What will they think of next?" Suddenly, a Mysterian saucer flew up behind them and fired its lasers. Rains did a hard right turn and the blast went underneath them.

"Marlon, the plane won't take much more of this! Land and we'll make a run for it! If you keep doing stunts like that, you'll rip us apart in the sky!" In the cabin, passengers who had been too frightened to get off or couldn't were shrieking and crying. Some were pounding on the door to the cockpit, yelling for the plane to stop. Marlon couldn't hear them. All he was paying attention to was the ever-closing gap in the sky and how to get through it. They were nearly there now. The Mysterian saucer fired another blast at them but Rains pulled a hard left.

"Damn it! We're out of missiles!" the Captain roared.

"We have no missiles, you old fool! We're on a 7 -"

"Then we'll just have to outrun 'em, Private!" Rains went left, trying to put his 'jet' into a barrel roll. When it flipped onto its back, lights and warnings blared all over the cockpit. Passengers were thrown to the ceiling of the cabin, most badly injured from the impact or crushed by others. The 747 had taken all it could and spiraled out of control across the sky. Pieces of the hull ripped off under the stress it was never designed for. It tumbled and fell before smashing into the wall of the dome in a ball of fire. Flaming wreckage rained down as the Mysterian saucer shot a laser blast into the inferno for good measure. The remains turned over and over before coming down on the city to add to its destruction.

By 3:43 PM, Detroit was nearly obliterated. An hour ago, the Alpha Unit had departed. All that remained were the Dome Units. After a city was destroyed and a dome or domes erected, some soldiers and MOGERAs stayed behind to complete any destruction that was needed, capture humans for transfer to the Prisoners of War Station. Officials and soldiers from the North Pole base would begin converting the human population centers to Mysterian ones. Once a Dome Unit was finished and officers in command of the destroyed city, it caught up with the rest of the advancing army.

The destruction part was over and it was time to collect the survivors. Sergeant Capen was in command of Battalion 426, patrolling with 25 other soldiers in Section 23. His was one of many such details in the area but somehow, a large number of humans had managed to survive here. So far, most of those his battalion had encountered surrendered willingly and were captured.

He personally hated serving with a Dome Unit, despising having to deal with the crying, pleading humans. The part that disgusted him the most was when he and his crew cuffed and shackled the captives. It wasn't that he felt sorry for their plight but the fact was that so many of them had emotional breakdowns. It could give any Mysterian soldier a headache but the job did have its upsides.

Dome Units were not given conflicting orders every five minutes. They had one simple job to do and nobody really cared how they accomplished it. Capen loved it when the humans got rowdy and put up a fight. If his troops couldn't wrestle one into submission, they would form a circle around it and one soldier would fight it hand-to-hand. If the human won, it was shot. These 'games' were only carried out with single or small groups of humans who wouldn't surrender. But above all, they were secret. If Capen's superiors caught wind of how he and his squad were slacking off when it came to rounding up survivors, they could all face execution.

Two streets over was a boarding house in a fairly intact neighborhood. Inside were 15 people, some of whom actually lived there. A few had handguns, others only kitchen knives. A fire in the fireplace was the only source of illumination besides flashlights since the electricity had gone off an hour ago. At each of the three windows facing the street stood a man who peaked through the blinds every few minutes. Outside on the steps in front of the door sat a 17 year-old kid with a pair of binoculars. He kept watch down the street in both directions for any sign of trouble. For now, it appeared that they were safe.

"Psst! Alex!" came a voice from the alley to the kid's left. "It's me, Gerald!" Alex turned to see his friend come out of the shadows with a blue duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"You don't have to whisper, you know..."

"Yeah, but I didn't want you blowing my head off with that cannon when I came around the corner. You have been kind of shaky with that thing. Anyways, I got the guns and ammo we need."

"What did you get?"

"I only had time to grab six or so shotguns before they spotted me. When I broke into the gun store, they must have heard me and came to investigate. They saw me through the windows and came in after me. I managed to get out the back and haul ass through the alleys. They stayed on me until I lost them but they were only two streets over when I did. Have you guys had any problems over here?"

"Not really. We thought one of those robots was going to pass by here but it turned around. A ship flew overhead when I went inside for a bit. I caught a glimpse of it when I came back out. If I was out here, we would have been goners. No soldiers, though, so that's a good thing."

"Woah! Close call. I better get inside and tell the others what's going on. Watch yourself, man." In the large living room area, Gerald retold his adventures and laid out what he had procured.

"So what did you guys find?" he asked.

"Well," said a woman in her mid-thirties. "In the basement, we found a few crowbars, a baseball bat, some tools and a chainsaw. Myers over here brought down some guns and ammo he'd been keeping in his room without our consent." The last part was said in a disdainful tone toward the individual in question.

"A man's got to protect himself," he stated resolutely.

"Other than that, there's some knives in the kitchen and a few pocket knives." The weapons were laid out on the dirty orange carpet. It went without saying that their arsenal looked pretty pathetic.

"Are you sure you looked everywhere?" Alex asked.

"We searched this house as well as five others from top to bottom. This is it." They began to whisper amongst themselves when an explosion was heard off in the distance. Everyone was becoming nervous.

"Now hold on, everybody," a man said, trying to reassure them as he stood up. "This may be enough. I was on the south side of town with a larger group who had taken refuge in a hospital with about the same weapons we have. We were able to hold them off and drive them away."

"Then why aren't you over there now?" another man piped up. "I'll tell you why! Because after you drove them off, they came back with twice as many soldiers and turned the place into a bloodbath! Yeah, I heard about the hospital. A guy I was traveling with told me he was there and barely got away with his life."

"Yes, they did retaliate. But we did do a good number on them in the process. We don't have to stay put and wait for them to come back with a larger force. We can move around the city, taking out small squads when we come across them. There are lots of places to hide. Plus, we know the city better than they do. We can make it out of here!"

"Do you have any idea what we're up against? Seventeen people with a few guns and knives against an entire army of advanced aliens? Why not just go after them with pots and spoons? Maybe we could have a better chance using them for weapons. You're out of your gourd, man! I say we wait right here until help arrives."

"Any 'help' has been destroyed, you imbecile! If we sit here and wait for your imaginary cavalry to ride in, we'll be taken prisoner or die just like every other human the aliens have come in contact with! At least my plan gives us a chance to get away with our lives and keep our freedom!"

"Well, then... Maybe we should be taken prisoner, even if we don't know if we would get good treatment or not. It's better than dying! All your plan does is give us a ticket to the grave!"

"Stop it, both of you!" screamed a woman from the corner. "You're scaring the children!" Everyone turned to face her and her two young sons whose faces were buried in her dress. "You, you talk of fighting. Exactly how do I fight when I never used a gun in my life, or my children? How do you plan on protecting them? They can't go out there and fight! They don't need to hear this and neither do I!" The three started a major point of contention and the group was soon divided in half. One side wanted to get away and the others wanted to stay. Most argued and screamed at each other while a few tried to get them to talk it over peacefully. Eventually, they quit trying and joined in on the ruckus. The mother yelled for everyone to stop as her children cried even more.

"ALRIGHT! CUT THE CRAP!" roared a voice over all the others. They quieted down and looked toward the fireplace where a man had been standing silent the entire time. He now appeared frustrated as he gazed around the crowd with eyes so gray and cold they could make a lion stop in its tracks. His hardened visage pursed its lips as some were still talking to each other. "Look at yourselves, standing around and bickering like a bunch of scared rabbits! You're fools if you think you'll get out of this city alive. You have seen their army and what it's capable of. They have destroyed everything from here to California!

"As nice as it is to think that a handful of people with a few guns and knives are going to save the world, I hate to break it to you: it's not going to happen. Even if we could get through the city and outside the dome, where would we go? They have damn near taken the entire country! And if you think they'll give you any special treatment just because you kiss their feet and give them praise, you're in for a big surprise. They'll work you to death as slaves, then let you die in the dirt! All I know is I'm taking out as many of those bastards as I can." He reached down, picked up a shotgun and began loading it.

"We all have to die sometime. The question is, how do you want to check out? Do you do it on your feet or on your knees, begging? I'm not one for begging. Nobody ever gave me anything and I prefer it that way. I say let's fight them!" It took a few seconds for his words to sink in. Every person in the room knew what he said was true. They couldn't possibly get out of this situation with their lives and their independence. The woman who had spoken to Gerald grabbed a shotgun. He picked up the chainsaw. The man with the 'hit-and-run' idea took a crowbar. Others stepped forward to retrieve a weapon, except for the man who didn't want to fight and the mother with the children.

"You're all crazy!" he said. "I'm not dying in the streets with you fools."

"Me neither. I'll stay here and protect my children," declared the mother.

"That's just fine," the man who had inspired everyone sneered. "Bow down before them. But remember, even the children won't be spared." Each person eyed his or her weapon carefully, scanning every inch of it. They shared the same idea: Kill as many of the aliens as possible before they took them out. Alex suddenly burst back into the room, yelling.

"Heads up! I spotted a group of aliens down the street!"

"Let me see," the man who was standing at the fireplace ordered. He took Alex's binoculars and focused several blocks away. He could make out a squad of yellow- and blue-clad Mysterian soldiers. The one in front had an instrument not unlike a megaphone and was yelling at the surrounding buildings, obviously searching for survivors. "Now's our chance. Let's prove to them just what the human race is made of."

Nearby…

"Sir, I have spotted a group of five armed humans down the street," a Mysterian soldier reported to Sergeant Capen.

"What are they armed with?" he asked.

"Two of them have guns. The other three are carrying sharp objects of some sort."

"Excellent! We may have some sport here." Capen turned the volume up on his megaphone and directed it toward the oncoming citizens.

"Attention, humans. This is Sergeant Capen of the Mysterian Army. Lower your weapons and walk toward us with your hands in the air and you will not be harmed. If you do not comply, my soldiers and I will be forced to kill you." He lowered the megaphone and spoke to his scout. "Any change?"

"No, sir. They are still advancing toward us." Capen addressed them once more.

"To repeat. Drop your weapons, you stupid primates, before I split your skulls open."

"Still no compliance, sir."

"We will play it their way, then. Soldiers, aim between the eyes -" Capen's arm was blown off before he could complete the order. The battalion frantically looked around for the source of the shotgun blast as the sergeant lay on the ground, holding the stump of his arm and screaming in agony.

"It didn't come from up ahead! I never took my eyes off of them!" the Mysterian with the binoculars yelled.

"Of course it didn't!" Capen snarled. "Sneaky little vermin! It's an ambush!" As if in response, the humans ran from their hiding places in the alleys and attacked. The unsuspecting aliens on the perimeter of the group were beaten with crowbars and bats or stabbed with knives. Gerald cranked up the chainsaw and charged toward a blue-suit. The Mysterian held up his gun to block the weapon but it was jabbed straight into his abdomen. The soldier screamed and writhed as the bar was shoved in further. He fired his blaster frantically, shooting one of his brethren before hitting Gerald in the shoulder. The teen dropped the saw which continued to eat its way into the soldier. Blood sprayed all over the place.

From the windows of the adjacent buildings, five shotguns came into view, firing a fury of hot pellets down on the soldiers. The five resistors from down the street ran up to join the fray with guns blazing. On the ground, Capen took the radio from a dead soldier and called for assistance.

"This is Sergeant Capen of Battalion 426 requesting back-up in Sector 23! Be advised, humans are armed and dangerous."

"Acknowledged, Battalion 426. This is Battalion 413. We should arrive at your position in forty-five seconds." Capen dropped the radio. With his remaining left hand, he fired his blaster at one of the humans. The shot went through her heart and out her back. She fell to the ground beside him. He tried to stand but consciousness was draining from him as fast as the blood out of his arm. A shot to his side put him back on the street on his back. He looked up into a pair of cold gray eyes. The Sergeant fumbled around for his blaster as the human pointed his shotgun at his face shield. Beneath it, Capen seethed in rage.

"You know you can't win!" he spat. "In a matter of seconds, you will be dead!"

"Just like you," the man stated solemnly before blasting his head and helmet into shards of flesh and metal. A laser bolt from behind went through the man's chest. He fell on top of Capen's headless body, dead, his shotgun clattering against the pavement.

The soldiers fought off the crowbar-wielding humans with their guns as best they could. Those that were too close to shoot, they hit with the butts of their weapons. The people in the windows were finding it increasingly difficult to get a clear shot while below, handguns and blasters were firing left and right.

From down the street, alien reinforcements were coming. When they were in range, two soldiers with weapons similar to grenade launchers fired on the buildings where the shotgun squad was stationed. Brick and mortar flew everywhere. Others fired on the remaining humans in the melee with their blasters. One young man noticed the new squad arriving and ran at them, firing his handgun but was hit by laser fire.

It wasn't long before all the humans were dead. The soldiers of Battalion 426 who weren't killed in the dogfight stood by in shock, their uniforms covered in blood. The Sergeant of Battalion 413 called for a medical unit that arrived within minutes for the survivors of the decimated squad.

"We have found four humans in a house five hundred feet from our position, sir," a soldier reported. "Two children males, one adult male and an adult female. They came out without a fight."

"Have a transport ship drop them off with the other captives in Sector 12," his superior ordered.

"Sir, if you don't mind my saying so, we did kill some of our soldiers who were fighting those humans by accident. What happens if word reaches the higher-ups?"

"The higher-ups will never know, soldier. None of you will speak a word about this and those now-crazed soldiers' word is not valid. That entire battalion was a joke, a mockery of the Mysterian Army! You might say that we have done our species a favor in taking out a few of them." The two Mysterians stood in silence for a minute, looking down at the human and alien carcasses and pieces thereof that littered the street. Both species' blood coated the pavement. Gerald's chainsaw was still running in the Mysterian soldier's innards.

"Why did they do it, sir? Why did they attack? They must have known they couldn't win..."

"I honestly do not know the answer to that, soldier. Why do you think we continue fighting this so-called war against them? They are just stubborn, I suppose. Just a stubborn, primitive race..."

_United Nations_

The President of the United States stepped out of his limousine in front of the United Nations Building in new York. He was the final representative to arrive but both sides of the path that had been cleared for him and his party were lined with hundreds of shouting people being held back by a barricade of armed guards. Besides the locals who had turned out for his hastily announced appearance in the Big Apple, reporters were out in force, snapping pictures and talking into video cameras. As the President rushed by, everyone screamed questions at him. He didn't need his Secret Service agents to remind him to ignore them all and press forward. Interviews and signing autographs would have to wait until after he saved his country.

Ten minutes later, he was standing in front of the entire United Nations Security Council. Nearly every President, Prime Minister, head of state or ambassador from all the countries of the world were there. The President took a sip of water from the glass on the podium and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket. The bags under his eyes reflected the lack of sleep he had suffered since the invasion began. With a deep breath, he spoke into the microphone.

"Nations of the world, I thank you deeply for attending this special meeting on such short notice to discuss how to deal with this terrible disaster that has befallen our planet. As we all know, a few days ago an alliance of extra-terrestrials made themselves known after an attack on San Francisco, California." Behind him, a photograph of the three alien leaders appeared on a background projector.

"They are unrelenting in their pursuit of world domination. So far, our military has had little or no effect on their forces. My colleagues, I will not beat around the bush with you... My country needs your help." At this, an uproar came from the august assembly.

"Order! ORDER!" yelled the Chairman, slamming his gavel down. "We will have order! Continue, Mister President."

"Thank you, Mister Chairman. I know this request is somewhat unreasonable in light of other events that are occurring around the world as I speak. This attack on our nation happened so fast that we are lucky we could respond with what forces we do have. Our military bases are being destroyed left and right, as well as our major cities. Whatever we do, it is not enough. The Space Force Directive is moving too swiftly. My people are being pushed into the Atlantic Ocean. They need refuge and they need your help. Any resources you can spare will be repaid and greatly appreciated."

"Yes, Mister Ambassador?" the Chairman recognized the French representative who rose from his seat.

"Mister President. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we sympathize with your situation but our countries need protection as well. What if these new invaders should reach our shores? We will need to conserve what resources we have to protect our own countries. Almost every nation has been battling against the Kilaaks and either been defeated or at best, severely weakened."

"I understand your concern, Mister Ambassador, but I promise our fellow delegates this: the Directive WILL come to your countries and you will have to fight them, one way or another. What I am offering you is a chance to fight this inevitable battle on American soil."

The Chinese Ambassador then stood up. "But what of the other disturbances that are affecting our countries? The multiple kaiju attacks, not to mention the presence of other aliens and natural disasters. If I remember correctly, Honshu, Japan, was turned into a city of lava! I say we muster our armies and face this menace when it reaches our borders."

"Once they reach Europe, they will have a bigger playing field," the President tried to explain. "They will be far more spread out. In the United States, they are advancing along three separate routes. The Xians are attacking the southern half of the country as the Mysterians pursue a northern course with the Virans assisting on two fronts. My prediction is that their destination will be our capital, Washington, D.C."

Next to speak was the British Prime Minister. "Mister President. I would like to recall the threat the leader of the Mysterians issued when he addressed the entire world shortly after the first attack on the United States: 'All hostility against us will be destroyed'. Mister President, I believe we all should at least try to reason with them. In the same address, they offered to negotiate. I believe any military action against them would result in defeat and destruction. If we stay neutral, at least we can try to talk to them."

"Reason with them?" the President shouted in surprise and disbelief at what he was hearing. "They wish to conquer our planet! When they say 'negotiate', they mean all or nothing! There is no reasoning. They will stop at nothing!"

"Mister President!" ordered the Chairman. "I must suggest that you calm yourself down. Shouting will get us nowhere."

"My apologies, Mister Chairman."

"I think we have heard both sides of this issue presented. Is there anybody else who would like to speak before we vote on what to do?" The French Ambassador stood again.

"I would like to say that we pity the United States in light of these recent attacks. But we must think of our own people. If we are to leave the United States to its own devices, then I say we do so completely. I say we cut off all imports to the United States and not except any exports from them... or refugees." The assembled representatives burst into a hum of discussion with their neighbors which caused the French delegate to raise his voice to be heard.

"If these aliens do not want us helping, then I say we don't assist in any way! They may take the accepting of refugees or permitting trade with a country as a sign of abetting the enemy and retaliate. It is not an easy matter to dwell on but we must make absolutely sure the Space Force Directive knows we offer no help to the United States." The commotion only increased.

"Order!" roared the Chairman. "We will now vote. You have your electronic pads activated to record your decision. Please do so now."

The President of the United States remained completely still behind the podium, unable to breathe. Sweat was pouring down the sides of his face. Maybe, just maybe they will change their minds... he prayed.

It seemed like hours had passed when in reality, it was but a few minutes. A clerk walked up to the Chairman with the results of the balloting. He was supposed to exhibit a neutral position when dealing with these types of issues but the decision just didn't seem right. All the same, he had to announce the results.

"A 90% majority votes that no help be given to the United States of America. Furthermore, no imports should be sent to the United States and all exports and refugees will not be accepted. Until this crisis is resolved... the United States of America will no longer have a voice at this United Nations." The Chairman brought his gavel down to adjourn the meeting but it felt like he was handing down a death sentence. The President nearly fainted except he was gripping the sides of the podium so tightly. A tumultuous racket of voices rose before him.

This is it he thought to himself. We are all alone in this. They can't possibly expect us to survive The Chairman walked over and put his hand on the President's shoulder.

"I am sorry, my old friend, but you had best leave as quickly as possible. Go before the crowds outside get word of this." The President could have spit in his face but he wasn't going to disrespect the United Nations in such a crude manner. He silently walked out of the great hall and up to a helicopter on the roof, escorted by the Secret Service. The chopper lifted away about the time the reporters on the ground got word of the outcome. Groups of angry people started to riot and storm the U.N. Building. The police quickly were overwhelmed and called for reinforcements.

The President watched the surging tide of despair below as he thought about the future of his country. A tear rolled down his cheek as the helicopter banked in front of the Statue of Liberty.

Later…

He had no choice but prepare to make the most frightening address to the nation a leader of the United States had ever undertaken. The President hoped that in some small way, his words would give the millions of Americans still safe from the Directive's rapidly spreading advance a ray of optimism; a reason to believe that maybe the U.S. could single-handedly defeat these invaders. They were scared and frankly, so was he.

When he arrived at the White House, his hair and make-up experts took over while he tried to calm down as they attempted to cover up the despair that was rapidly becoming a permanent part of his features. If the President looked nervous in front of the nation, his words would be meaningless. Five minutes later, America's leader was standing behind a podium in front of a camera. He had ordered that the teleprompter be removed since he was going to speak directly from his heart. The cameraman counted down with his fingers. 5-4-3-2-1. Then the President went live to his nation.

"Good evening, my fellow Americans. As you have no doubt heard from various news sources, the United Nations has rejected our plea for help in fighting off the Space Force Directive. Furthermore, American refugees will not be accepted into those countries until this crisis is over... if it will ever be over.

"In our desire for independence and to remain neutral to the affairs of other countries, we now find ourselves cut off completely, even if human lives are at stake. My friends, I am aware that our situation is bleak. But believe me when I tell you that I and the other officials of this country will not rest until we have used every possible weapon and resource available to stop these invaders. I ask you to have faith in us and if the battle reaches your doorstep to face it head on!

"We are united in our struggle against the Directive. I stand before you now not as your President but as a human being seeking to preserve the one thing we all hold dearest: life itself. I hope I will be able to fulfill my duties of protecting you, the people of the United States. Good night and may God help and watch over us in this, our time of national crisis." He concluded his address to the nation and retreated to the Oval Office without a word to anyone. There was nothing more he could say.

As he slumped down in his chair, the self-confidence and commanding presence he normally displayed during times of crisis were gone. It was as if the will to fight had been literally drained out of him. He watched the country he loved and had sworn to govern and protect get torn apart before his very eyes and was powerless to stop it. What weapons did humanity have that could stand up to these invaders?

"Mister President?" The Secretary of Defense had gotten word of what had happened in New York and hoped to discuss it with him before the press corps started demanding an official statement.

"Yes?" the Commander-in-Chief answered in a weary tone as he brought his head up from his desk.

"When the UN makes their announcement that we are now diplomatically isolated from the rest of the world, I don't think that's going to go over too well for morale, sir..." The President hung his head as he allowed the words to sink in. They kept reminding him of just how bad their situation was, no matter how much he didn't want to believe it.

"Do we have any other options available?" he asked.

"None, sir."

"What is the current death toll?"

"We don't have any official numbers yet but we have reason to believe that it is in the millions... and climbing." An eerie silence settled over the room after the Secretary's chilling assessment.

"Then we have but one hope," the President declared, looking his adviser in the eye. "Contact the United World Powers. Only they can save us now, despite what the rest of the world might think."

At G-FORCE headquarters, which had become the UWP meeting place because of its resources for planning and tracking military operations, Commander Argon was on hand to personally receive the President's request for assistance. He immediately called the rest of the members together for an emergency session.

"So the United States has simply been abandoned to their fate?" the Mu Empress asked, still shocked at how one of the most successful surface nations had basically been evicted from human society. The countries that supported assisting the U.S. were treated similarly, namely Japan, Mu and Seatopia. "As far as I am concerned, the United Nations no longer desires our alliance to be a part of it either."

"Yes, the U.N. has completely left them at the Directive's mercy, it seems," Argon assured her. "Along with anyone else who is willing to stand against this invasion."

"And the U.S. has asked for our help," General Aso reminded everyone.

"That is about the size of it," the Commander stated. "And why I have called you here now."

"Then we will meet these marauders head on!" King Hector proclaimed fearlessly.

"We are in agreement then?" General Aso asked. They all were.

And so it begins Commander Argon thought to himself.


	15. Death Rattles

It didn't take long for word to get out about the UWP's decision to assist the United States against the aliens. Needless to say, the United Nations was not pleased.

Ambassador Rees soon called G-FORCE for confirmation and possibly finding a way around this awkward situation. It was decided that the U.N. representatives might as well address the UWP directly via teleconference. The equipment at G-FORCE headquarters could easily connect Japan and New York via satellite and handle the checkerboard display of so many delegates who would no doubt want a voice in these latest developments.

Seeing how the UWP planned its own offensive to combat the Directive, Commander Argon was more than willing to address any questions or concerns they might have. The Simeon was rather surprised at the direction the exchange took as soon as Ambassador Rees had completed his opening remarks.

"The UN made its decision on this matter, Commander, and according to the joint rules of the United World Powers and the United Nations, you and the rest of the UWP have to abide by our ruling!" the French Ambassador hissed angrily from the huge viewscreen.

"By making the choice you have made, Commander, you are in direct violation of the very rules of mutual benefit that the United World Powers was established to provide," the British Prime Minister insisted sternly.

"This course of action could have dire repercussions for us all! Have you not considered that, Commander?" the Chinese representative shouted.

"Compared to what, Mister Ambassador? The repercussions of doing nothing? Of simply waiting to be slaughtered like pigs? No, gentlemen. There is no option of surrender, not now or ever!" Argon replied.

"This is an act of treason!" scowled the French Ambassador.

"You know, I have heard that accusation before," the Simeon smiled but his expression was not one of levity. "The funny thing is, I did not care then and I still do not care now."

"You are insane! You are going to doom us all! Can't you see that?" the President of Mexico insisted. "Or perhaps that was your intent all along!" he spat venomously.

"Then you are as blind as you are stupid. My own brethren have fought and died on the front lines with the peoples of your countries in offensives against the Kilaaks all over this planet. When did that sense of brotherhood and camaraderie suddenly end?" Argon demanded.

"After battling against the Kilaaks, we cannot hope to fend off an entirely new alien invasion! They hit us without warning or mercy. But this King Koban has at least offered us a chance for a dialogue... Perhaps if we reach an understanding with the Space Force Directive, their assistance could perhaps be sought in dealing with the Kilaaks. You must abandon your mission, Commander!" the Australian President blurted out without being recognized. Any attempts by the moderators to conduct an orderly exchange were completely ignored.

Argon knew the futility of such a suggestion. "No, Mister President. The Earth will simply be caught between two warring alien factions that will result in your extinction. That is why the Directive needs to be stopped now before they have a chance to spread outside the United States."

"You have no right to decide our fates!" the Canadian Prime Minister squealed. Argon keyed his microphone and charged back into the fray.

"No! If we stand by and take no action, it will be the Directive who decides whether you live or die. That I can assure you! They will cover the globe from one corner to the other, laying waste to everything and everyone that they come in contact with. If you thought what Hitler and the Axis had planned and was capable of had they won World War II was scary, compared to what the Directive WILL DO makes him about as dangerous as a grade school bully!" the Commander growled.

"And the final death knell will be when the SFD and the Kilaaks clash. A surveillance satellite recorded footage of an exchange between the Mysterians and the Kilaaks in Earth's orbit. That skirmish ended with the use of nuclear weapons. Imagine the level of death and destruction if such a battle were to take place on the surface."

"We shall not stand for this, Commander! We will use whatever means are available to stop you!" the French Prime Minister threatened. He was quickly joined by a chorus of others who agreed with him.

"So this is what it comes down to? You are so terrified of what is going to happen that you are willing to start a civil war among the so-called united nations in some hopelessly futile attempt to avert the inevitable?"

"You, Commander, are the warmonger as are the rest of your people. You obviously have no concept of diplomacy whatsoever! All that matters to you is that you have someone or something to fight so that you can go out in a blaze of glory!" the British Prime Minister screamed.

"That is correct, Mister Prime Minister. We Simeons are a militant race but do you know why? It is because we chose not to roll over for those who once tried to enslave us! We rose up and fought back in order to regain our freedom and that is exactly what we did! We became cold, unfeeling and ruthless so that we could develop the ability to wipe out our oppressors and take our home and our lives back!"

"I warn you, Commander. Do not oppose us or -"

"Or you will do what?" Argon hissed contemptuously, cutting off the Roliscican representative. "You are all cowards! Worthless, sniveling cowards! You are unworthy of the life and power that you have been granted as the leaders of your countries. How do you intend to oppose us when you cannot even stand up to the Space Force Directive? What if I decided to wipe you all out myself?" Commander Argon watched the expressions of utter shock and horror come across the faces of the delegates, silent for the first time since the teleconference began.

"As the new leader of my race, I promised to rule with compassion and morality but this is a time of war and difficult decisions must be made. I am going to say this only once and every damn one of you had better listen up because I do not plan on repeating myself. If any of you attack us for any reason or do anything that assists these invaders in their conquest, I will see to it that you all pay dearly! You will be viewed as the enemy and I will have no problem falling back on the ruthless tactics that served my people so well in the past," Argon calmly stated as images of Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus at the Simeon base suddenly appeared on the viewscreens at the U.N. Representatives who were not terrified by Argon's promise now had good reason to reconsider.

"This is no longer a time for diplomacy. It is time to stand and fight for your freedom and your right to live. If you are not with us, then you are against us and if any of you oppose us for any reason, Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus will trample your countries into the dirt! And you know damn well they can do it and that you are powerless to stop them."

The constructs turned to look directly into the cameras. Mechagodzilla brought his right arm up to his chest in the Simeon salute while Titanosaurus raised his hand and moved his thumb claw across his neck in the classic gesture that meant death.

"You were the ones who summarily evicted the United States from the UN when they most needed your support and declared that they no longer had a voice in the affairs of this planet. Effective immediately and by order of the United World Powers... the United Nations no longer is the voice of Planet Earth. You... have no voice at all. This meeting... is adjourned!" Argon seethed in fury as he abruptly terminated the satellite feed from G-FORCE headquarters.

Bordu had been sitting nearby, trying very hard to contain his building resentment of the so-called human world leaders. When his Commander had finished giving them a much-needed ear-full, he suddenly jumped up, literally screaming with excitement, a trait the Simeons had suppressed during Mugar's reign of fear and terror. The rest of the UWP members quickly joined in with vigorous clapping and congratulations as well.

"Commander, you rule!" his adjutant hooted in elation.

"Indeed! Well spoken, Commander. You are a credit to your race and the UWP!" King Hector declared with a broad smile and a bow which Argon returned, surprised at the enthusiastic support of his allies.

"I could not agree more!" the Mu Empress added.

Even General Aso was caught up in the moment and did a quick right arm jab with his fist in the air, grinning from ear to ear. When the others took notice of his booming "YES!" he blushed and quickly crossed his arms behind his back, hoping to regain his usual military bearing.

"It looks like the die has been cast and it is time to end this... one way or another," Commander Argon proclaimed proudly, yet fully realizing the perils of the challenge they were about to undertake.

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The President's address to the nation had done little to boost American morale. People had little faith that the military could defeat the Directive after seeing what had happened in California. Ignoring the U.N.'s decree on immigration and asylum, many desperate, frightened people tried to cross the borders into Mexico and Canada. Initially, some got through but both nations quickly tightened security along their extensive perimeters.

When the Xians had captured the states bordering Mexico, refugees fled toward Canada. The once-friendly and welcoming northern neighbor strengthened patrol of the continent-spanning line that separated the two nations as never before. To travel west was suicide, be it by land or air. Flying over the central United States where the Black Scorpions were corralled invited ground fire from the electrodes that made up the giant fence containing them. Their built-in lasers automatically targeted any non-Directive aircraft that came within range. The only option was to remain where they were or head toward the east.

Airlines and shipping companies no longer demanded payment to board their craft as they also headed out of the country. All they asked was that those who risked passage not panic and stay calm. Most people greatly appreciated the offer while some who didn't secure transportation tried to prevent their departure. Passengers could only bring themselves aboard and a single small carry-on bag at most.

Many vehicles loaded down with refugees fleeing into Mexico and Canada initially succeeded in 'crashing' the border and headed toward the interior as the two countries scrambled to bring out tanks and artillery to stem the rolling tide. Those hoping to reach overseas destinations weren't so lucky.

Within hours of the United Nations' decision, a blockade of military forces assembled along the western shores of the Atlantic from Norway to South Africa. Battleships and submarines patrolled the seas while fighter jets watched the skies. On land, an armada of tanks and missile carriers maintained around-the-clock surveillance. Many citizens were appalled at these extreme measures their countries were taking but their screams of outrage fell on deaf ears. Their governments were resolute when they said they would repel the refugees at any cost. It wasn't unusual for border defense forces also having to contend with their own countrymen.

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The U.S.S. WHITAKER, carrying 446 passengers and accompanied by five other ships, had departed Boston, Massachusetts prior to the U.N. making its now infamous declaration. They were en route to Shannon Foynes in Ireland and only had sufficient fuel and supplies to reach their destination. Three hundred miles from port, an Irish Naval Service ship hailed the WHITAKER over the radio.

"Attention United States vessels. Under mandate of the United Nations and the Republic of Ireland, you are ordered to change course or be fired upon."

"We are aware of this development," the Captain acknowledged. "But we are nearly out of fuel and won't be able to make it to another port."

"U.S. vessels, that does not change the ruling of the U.N. Turn back now or you will be fired upon."

"Radio your President. If we turn back now, our engines will stop in the middle of the Atlantic. We have women and children aboard!"

"U.S. vessels, this is your last warning. Turn back now or you will be fired upon."

"I can't do that! Listen to me! There are entire families aboard these ships whose homes have been destroyed. They have nowhere else to go. Even if we could make it back to America, we would be killed the instant we docked. You don't have to like our country or us but don't deny us our right to live! Please, I'm begging you! Permit us safe passage to your port."

The radio was silent for several minutes. Possibly, the naval officer on the other end was having an internal war with himself or was contacting his superiors. The captains and their crews waited tensely, hoping their plight had struck a chord with the Irish Commander or President. The tension was excruciating until they received the answer.

"All U.S. vessels will be fired upon."

"DAMMIT! DON'T KILL US! STOP AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING! PLEASE! DON'T KILL ALL THESE INNOCENT PEOPLE! We have done NOTHING to you!"

The Captain's pleas were useless. From a battleship three miles away, six missiles shot into the air. The passengers and crew of the six American vessels watched as they came into view, shining against the sky with fire streaming from their engines. They curved downward toward them for a direct hit, blowing the ships apart on impact. What little remained of them sank into the murky depths of the ocean.

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The destruction of the U.S.S. WHITAKER and its fellow passenger and cargo ships was not unique. Several other American craft met this same fate at the hands of other countries.

Many of these incidents were watched with glee on a video screen in the private quarters of Lord Koban at the North Pole Base. He would switch to different locations with the remote control, intently watching the humans butcher one another.

"Dance, puppets," he whispered. "Dance for your new master."

_Pay-back_

Lord Koban wasn't the only one watching this horrendous turn of events. Commander Argon beheld it all with anger and disgust and followed through on his warning to the U.N.

Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus were sent to every country that had opened fire upon U.S. refugee ships and ravaged them. Through an ironic twist of fate, the two cyborgs fulfilled the task they had originally been designed for as targeted human cities were laid waste.

Many of the offending countries were already weakened by battles with the Kilaaks and didn't stand a ghost of a chance of defending themselves. Argon did give a 24-hour warning to allow civilians a chance to evacuate.

Their leaders were taken prisoner and brought to the Simeon base where a special teleconference was arranged for the rest of the U.N. to bear witness to what they could also expect. Commander Argon appeared onscreen with the scared and angry political leaders yelling and screaming in a large cell behind him.

"Just in case you may have forgotten what I said before, who you are dealing with or what we are capable of, I suggest you watch very closely," he directed.

The Commander gave a hand signal and the caterwauling politicians were all cut down by blaster fire. The gathered world leaders and U.N. representatives watching via satellite were left in a stunned silence, aghast at what they had just seen.

"Are there any questions?" Argon asked with a stare that dared anyone to even think of responding.

He then had the bodies crucified outside the main entrance to the United Nations Building for all to see. On each of their bared chests, a bloody message was carved for all who thought of crossing the United World Powers:

WE ARE COWARDS WHO MURDERED WOMEN AND CHILDREN

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"Commander! I demand you explain this course of action!" the Japanese Prime Minister immediately addressed Argon in private.

"It was necessary, Mister Prime Minister."

"It most certainly was not!"

"You gave no such indication when I made my initial statement and threat to the United Nations," the Simeon reminded him.

"I thought you were bluffing in order to scare them! I did not think you would actually go through with such a despicable display of savagery!"

" I do wish I did not have to either but they left me no alternative."

"This is unacceptable! You and the Simeons are members of the United World Powers. You no longer simply represent your own race but everyone makes up this unique group. This situation is a public relations nightmare! The rest of the world is now just as scared of you as they are of the invaders actually trying to conquer our world!"

"Good."

"What?"

"I mean no disrespect to you, Mister Prime Minister, but perhaps you should be more concerned with what is going on around us rather than 'public relations'. This is a time of war and difficult decisions must be made. It isn't just our enemies or the UN that doesn't take the UWP seriously, it's the entire world! The people of this planet are scared out of their minds and don't believe that anyone can save them, including us. What we have done will show the world that we mean business."

"But that grisly display right outside the United Nations Building?"

"A message has been sent, one that I am sure has been received loud and clear by both friend and foe alike. Besides, which would you rather have? A few dead politicians to insure cooperation or the seas awash with the bodies of innocent civilians?"

Although the Prime Minister was still angry with Argon, he hung his head. He realized in a morbid sense that the Simeon Commander was right.

"What is this conflict doing to us?" he whispered. "What is there to separate us from the killers at our planet's door?"

"It is indeed terrible but unfortunately, it is the way things are. We have enough to worry about as it is with the alien invasions without having to deal with internal strife. That has now been rendered moot." Long moments of silence passed between them before the Commander spoke again.

"Did you wish to have me incarcerated, Mister Prime Minister?"

"No... I just... I just wish there was another way..."

"We can worry about being civilized when we are assured that we are going to at least survive. There is both peace and civility waiting for us all but it can only be found on the other side of this war. And we will have to fight that war with all of its horrors and sadness if we have any hope of attaining it."

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All over the world, chaos ensued as the draining of the Earth's Mana by King Ghidorah and Death Ghidorah wreaked havoc on the planet itself. This would be yet another ongoing concern for the United World Powers leaders to consider.

In Pompeii, Italy, Mount Vesuvius was on the verge of erupting but Titanosaurus had been dispatched in a desperate attempt to mitigate the cataclysm. The eruption itself was inevitable but it was hoped that the damage it would cause could be lessened. The city had already been evacuated, aside from a few stragglers.

The Simeon cyborg had dug and blasted massive trenches all around the base of the unstable mountain to catch the lava flows and now, he stood facing the side of the volcano away from the city. With careful aim and diagnostic scans, he used his cutter beam to blast and pierce specific targets, hoping that when it finally blew, the lava would explode out of this side and away from the city. He had to fire with precision and extreme caution so as to not cause a premature eruption.

With these preparations barely finished, Mount Vesuvius let go with an incredible paraclastic cloud surging forth from the volcano. It hit Titanosaurus but even with his shields on at full strength, he was sent flying by the blast. When he regained his footing, he saw that the city had suffered no damage other than the intense falls of ash that had preceded the eruption.

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Off the coast of Japan, massive tsunamis hundreds of meters in height threatened seaside towns but the GOTENGO was able to stop the incoming waves with its Freeze Maser, creating a makeshift dam of ice from the massive amounts of water. Out at sea and deep below the surface on the ocean's floor, a small fleet of Muuvian submarines capable of withstanding the incredible pressure of those depths was attempting to contain and control undersea eruptions that were causing earthquakes and the resulting tsunamis. They blasted precise pressure points in the rupturing sea bed.

As another quake began, a huge undersea rock formation dislodged itself, falling towards one of the subs which would surely be crushed. Just then, Manda darted in, smashing the mass out of the way. Their guardian patrolled the area as the Muuvians worked, keeping a stern eye on their surroundings and protecting the subs.

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An immense F5 tornado made its way towards Moscow as Mechagodzilla stood directly in the path of the rapidly approaching super funnel. The great city was still in a state of chaotic evacuation and many lives would be lost if the twister managed to reach them.

Under normal circumstances, there would be nothing that he could do in the face of such an unstoppable force of nature but the great war machine was prepared and armed accordingly. As the tornado drew ever closer, Mechagodzilla fired round after round of specially loaded cadmium missiles, set to remotely detonate. The basic science of a tornado's dissipation is that when the cold air streams overpower the colliding hot air from which the initial vortex was created, the cell will slow and break apart.

It was hoped that Mechagodzilla could cause that to occur prematurely with the missile barrage. Salvos were fired at blinding speed but he was quickly depleting his cadmium inventory. The funnel cloud still advanced. With only a few hundred meters remaining between him and the towering maelstrom of wind, hail and debris it had picked up, his ammunition was depleted and the unbelievable winds wrenched him from the ground, throwing the massive construct aside to come crashing down nearby.

Springing back up, Mechagodzilla ran a quick scan of the tornado and saw that a reaction was beginning to take place. The whirling vortex finally dissipated just outside the city limits and not a moment too soon. Right in front of it would have been a massive skyscraper in which thousands of people had sought shelter from the raging storm that had created the monster twister.

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Bordu was nervously watching CNN coverage of the sudden rebellion of nature itself and the resulting catastrophes as the United World Powers meeting dragged on.

"The desert landscape known as the Great Basin in the western United States is reporting hail stones the size of basketballs. There is a freak heat wave in Alaska which is causing flash flooding. A foot of snow has fallen in South Africa and people throughout different parts of the world are suffering near instant and in some cases, fatal sunburn as sudden new gaps are appearing in the Earth's ozone layer. It is as if the entire world has gone totally mad."

"That's putting it mildly," Bordu sighed as he changed the channel.

"As you can see, this footage shows the titanic battle that took place between the Gudis virus and several other monsters and mechs in Japan. The camera it came from was found intact near the charred and almost unrecognizable body of a reporter for an underground news network known as BS Digital. It can only be assumed that the unfortunate journalist got too close and was killed." click

"Reporters are even crazier than those nutty storm chasers," Bordu muttered.

"In other news, a heavily-armed man attempted to hijack a space shuttle at NASA headquarters in Houston. He was gunned down before he got anywhere near the launch pad. Reports from eyewitnesses say he kept yelling about the 'end of the world' and needing to escape.

"On a side note, mass ritualistic suicides are being reported in various Middle Eastern countries in response to what many are calling the 'End Times' due to the recent disasters that have befallen the planet from both Nature and kaiju." click

"Love affairs with invading aliens! Today on Jerry Springer!" click

"Hi! I'm your host, John Burnell and this is WHEN GIANT MONSTERS ATTACK!" click

"In the aftermath of the Los Angeles invasion, rioting and looting is rampant. Even the combined efforts of the police, SWAT teams and the National Guard are unable to control or contain the mayhem. L.A. has become a war zone." click

What appeared to be an old minister of some kind came on the screen. His face was badly scarred on its right side, as if it had been burned by acid of some kind.

"Geological upheaval, alien invasions, monsters and demons abound. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is a sign that the end is near! The Creator has passed his divine judgment upon us all and only the chosen few shall be saved. Who will be saved, you may ask? None but the faithful, brothers and sisters... none... but... the... faithful!" click

"Yep, we're screwed," Bordu said to himself nonchalantly as he switched the TV off and tried to focus on what Doctor Kenji Kamaiya was saying.

"It has been calculated that one million cubic kilometers of molten rock lie beneath a plateau the size of California at the Siberian Traps alone. This would be enough to cover the entire surface of the Earth to a depth of ten feet. Tremendous amounts of rock and ash would be ejected into the air, blocking the sun for six months. Sulfur dioxide fog would cause darkness and acid rain for over a decade. Temperatures around the globe would plummet and mankind would be pushed to the brink of extinction. The eruption of a super volcano would indeed make the planet uninhabitable.

"The alternative is usually relocation when such a volcano starts to erupt, possibly having a few days or a week's warning," the scientist explained. Commander Argon rose from his seat and looked around the conference table.

"That may basically sound like a good idea with a hurricane or typhoon which do provide sufficient warning for people to make somewhat logical decisions. With this, we would probably have no more than a few hours' alert at best, if any. But consider this: millions would panic and get in their automobiles, causing the worst kind of chaos.

"A disaster often becomes more severe because of... people's actions prior to, during or after the event itself, does it not?" he asked, thinking of what had happened with the destruction of his own homeworld.

General Aso jumped to his feet to speak before the sheer enormity of such an undertaking could overwhelm him. "Commander, do not sell humanity short in times of crisis. I believe it would be in everyone's best interest if we at least consider this... ONLY alternative."

When the United World Powers representatives went into closed session, Doctor Kamaiya contacted his counterpart in Washington to advise him of the impending natural disasters that were sure to befall the planet and that the UWP would continue considering various mitigation. The U.S. had also been monitoring conditions around the world and as this particular scientist also happened to be an Advocate, the Secretary of Defense and the rest of the group would be kept updated on further developments.

"Do you have The List at hand, George?" he asked General Goodwin.

"Yes. We might as well proceed with the plans we have discussed over the years and get everyone on stand-by."

Across the country, Advocates prepared to assume their roles in a scenario which had been no more than a table-top exercise. Now, it could very well be all that could save the United States of America.

_Martial Artists_

In the UWP Training Hall, the queens of the undersea kingdoms were having a sparing match. Soldiers and other personnel stepped aside, giving the ladies full use of the floor but remained to bear witness to their prowess.

Angelique drew her sword but took notice of Queen Fimetreous' robe which restricted leg movement. "I fear that your regal garb is rather binding for an exercise such as this, your highness."

"An easily resolved issue," she stated as she threw off the flowing garment, revealing not a demure or frail body but one honed and trained as befitted the warrior she was. Nearby, one of the GOTENGO's crew eyed the Mu Queen with his mouth hanging open. Captain Gordon smacked him in the back of the head, causing him to grab the back of his skull with an embarrassed and sheepish look replacing his lecherous grin.

"Are you ready to begin?" Angelique asked.

"I am," Fimetreous responded as she drew her own blade and charged. Both women showcased their superb skills with a bladed weapon and though the Mu Empress was physically smaller in stature than Hector's bride, it made no difference at all. Angelique tried to overpower her adversary but Fimetreous used her slightly faster reflexes and a lower center of gravity to fend her off. As they blocked and parried each other's strikes, Fimetreous decided to make conversation.

"Were you successful in finding the Nebulan spies within your kingdom?" she asked.

"Yes."

"And I assume you dealt with them accordingly?"

"Yes. They are incarcerated and awaiting trial for their crimes," Angelique explained. The Mu Queen lowered her sword.

"You let them live?" she asked in surprise.

"Well, yes... Criminals of any kind are tried according to Seatopian law."

"I see..."

"What did you do with the spies you found in Mu?" Angelique asked as the Queen's mind raced back to the incident in question.

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Escorted by her royal guard, Queen Fimetreous entered what could only be described as a dungeon with living conditions barely suitable for an animal, let alone a human being. They stopped at a cell holding traitors to the Mu Empire whom Fumio had corrupted and bribed into either assisting or ignoring the Nebulans' activities in Mu.

"Open the door," she ordered. The guards did as commanded and the Queen stepped inside to address the prisoners.

"As former citizens of Mu, I give you a chance for freedom." The wary inmates remained quiet and unmoving. "Give them weapons," she ordered. Swords were slid across the floor to the captives.

"All that you have to do... is get past me." At first, no one moved.

"I find it hard to believe that any subject of mine would be this cowardly. I dare you to prove me wrong!" she spat angrily.

Finally, the closest one, whose right hand was but a mere six inches away from the hilt of a sword, moved to grasp it. He slowly rose to his feet, never taking his eyes off the Queen. The others slowly followed suit until they were all armed.

Long moments of silence passed until they charged en masse! A split second before the first one reached her, Queen Fimetreous drew her own sword and laid open as his jugular. He vomited blood on the floor as he fell. The others charged in, only to meet similarly gruesome fates. One had his belly slit open, spilling his intestines. A third had his face sliced off. A fourth was run through as a fifth directly behind him was also impaled. The sixth was decapitated.

Only one prisoner remained alive, standing in the back of the cell and shaking with fear. He had his sword in hand but was too terrified to move after seeing what had happened to his partners in crime.

"Face me, traitor! Are you a man or are you a mouse!" the Queen demanded, covered in blood and bile. Still he would not move. "Let me make it easier for you." She tossed her sword aside "Now will you find the courage to attack me?" she mocked, insulted that she had to go to such lengths to get a rise out of her captive.

After several unsure moments, he finally rushed her with a loud but feeble yell. Queen Fimetreous ducked his first swing and then side-stepped a thrust. On his third attack attempt, she caught his wrist and twisted it, causing him to stab himself in the gut. He fell to his knees and then toppled over dead on the floor.

From an adjacent cell where the actual Nebulan spies had been imprisoned, a particularly mouthy roach which had shed his human disguise decided to make his bid for freedom.

"Hey there, Queenie! How about you get in our cell and try that little stunt with us, huh?" he taunted as she slowly turned to acknowledge them.

"Oh no, Nebulan. I have an entirely different fate in store for you," she assured them with a smile.

"What's the matter? You scared?" he teased.

"No... but you should be," the Queen warned as she turned and nodded to one of the guards. He pulled a lever on the wall outside their cell. Suddenly, the floor gave way beneath the Nebulans and they fell down a long chute that deposited them in the ocean.

Caught off guard by their sudden predicament, they struggled with the loss of air and the pressure of the crushing depths but that was the least of their worries. The first Nebulan to see what was coming went pale with horror as a massive pair of serpentine jaws swam toward them, opening wide. They opened their mouths to scream, only to have their lungs fill with salt water right before Manda's maw slammed shut upon them.

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"Rest assured that the infidels received Mu's own brand of justice," Queen Fimetreous told Angelique confidently as the monarch rested her sword on her shoulder. Angelique nodded respectfully, not entirely sure of what she meant but somewhat afraid to ask.

Just then, an aide to the Prime Minister appeared, requesting that the UWP members gather for a meeting.

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"We need to formulate our battle plan for combating the Space Force Directive," General Aso declared.

"Great! Just point me in the right direction and tell me what to shoot," Captain Gordon said eagerly, rubbing his hands together.

"I am sorry, Captain, but I'm afraid that you won't be a part of this operation," the General explained.

"What?" Gordon gasped in surprise.

"We need you and the GOTENGO in Russia to deal with a new Gudis mutation that has emerged from where the creature itself came down after the battle here in Japan."

"What the Hell! Damnit, General!You need me in this. You're gonna need all the firepower you can get!" Gordon protested.

"Please, Captain! The mutation is heading for the city of Chita. There are over a million people there and they need our help... your help," General Aso finished, placing his hand on Gordon's shoulder. The Captain nodded and departed.

"I must take this opportunity to apologize on behalf of Seatopia. With our beloved god and protector gone, we no longer have the capability to aid the UWP in its military missions," King Hector confessed.

"It is all right, your highness. The contributions and sacrifices you and your people have already made can never be questioned," the Prime Minister consoled him.

"How about the rest of us?" Commander Argon asked.

"We will need the biggest fleet you can muster, along with Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus. Queen Fimetreous?" the General then turned to her. "Can we count on your assistance in this endeavor?"

"Absolutely."

"Excellent! Where are the Elias?"

"We are here!" Moll spoke up from the war room table with Lora and Belvera to either side of her.

"Good. You play possibly the most important part in this operation for various reasons. But first, there is something I need you to ask Mothra to do..."

_Atlantean Air Lift_

Off the southwest coast of Japan on one of the many tiny islands in the Ryuku chain, Gamera had just finished healing his injuries from several encounters with the Gyaos. As he prepared to take to the sky, Mothra flew down with Manda wrapped around her.

"Well, that looks rather funny..." the giant turtle observed as she landed and the huge serpent slithered off of her.

"We need your help," she implored, somewhat breathless. "The United World Powers are preparing an offensive against an alien invasion in the United States called the Space Force Directive. They will need all the help they can get."

"Not that I wish to refuse, Mothra, but my sworn duty is to protect the Earth, its life force and Gaia. Not the humans who have done their share to harm this world in the past."

"That is true. Though sometimes misguided, I feel that the humans are still worth fighting for. Not all of them are bad or evil. And they are just as much a part of the Earth as everything else that lives upon it."

"The undersea kingdoms of Mu and Seatopia have committed themselves to this battle. I am sure that if Atlantis still existed, its people would do likewise. We must band together to protect our home. It would be cowardly to do otherwise," Manda added.

"I see... Well then, you have me with you. What are we up against?"

"A powerful enemy that greatly outnumbers us. There is a chance for a truly glorious death!" Manda responded excitedly as Gamera cocked an eyebrow at the Mu guardian's strange reasoning.

"That is always nice to know," the Atlantean smirked sarcastically.

"Of course! To die fighting, bravely defending our world to our last breath. Surely, there is no greater honor one can attain," Manda asserted proudly.

"And just how are you going to get to the United States?" Gamera asked.

"By sea, of course."

Gamera looked back at Mothra who had been watching him during the exchange. "Is time of the essence?"

"Extremely."

"Then you better let me carry you," he then suggested to Manda.

"Surely, Atlantean, you have not forgotten my speed in the water?" the sea kaiju hollered in a somewhat insulted tone.

"Absolutely not. But we will save time if you let me carry you. My frame can pack you longer than Mothra's can."

"Then it is decided. We will fight together," Mothra declared.

"And may this... Space Force Directive know and fear our wrath," Gamera proclaimed, bringing his right hand up and clinching his clawed fist in front of his chest.

_Chita, Russia_

People ran screaming in terror as a carnivorous alien organism moved through the city's streets, devouring everything in its path or anyone unfortunate enough to come upon it. The monster seemed unstoppable but there was hope on the horizon when the huge warship GOTENGO was sent out to deal with the menace. Apparently, it was a result of Gudis spores from his initial impact infecting microscopic organisms, merging with them to create their current ghastly state.

"Alright, men! We've been briefed on this thing and know that it is a sort of giant mutated amoeba so we're going to use the Freeze Maser. It is also growing exponentially with all the people it's consumed so we need to take care of this fast before it gets too big," Captain Gordon explained.

"I'll say! The thing is measuring 300 meters in diameter! Will the maser work on it?" a bridge officer asked.

"It should still be capable of being frozen regardless of its size so let's nail this thing with one clean shot and get outta here," Gordon ordered as the weapon was charged and prepared for firing.

Suddenly, the mutant sent a massive balled-up tendril like a giant club shooting forth, smacking the GOTENGO and knocking the airship out of the sky to crash down in the street below. The direction it was facing had the nose pointing away from its intended target.

"Get us up and ready to fire immediately!" Gordon yelled as the creature quickly advanced on them.

"Need a few moments, Captain!" the engineer called out.

"We don't have a few moments! Open fire with all artillery! Now!" Gordon ordered as the downed ship unloaded countless missiles and beams into the gelatinous mass. The weaponry was having no effect other than the explosive impact of the beams and projectiles somewhat slowing its advance. At any moment, it would be on top of them.

"Engines on line, sir!" the engineer announced as the ship surged back to life and into the air.

"Hard turn, 360 degrees! Now!" Gordon commanded. The GOTENGO practically spun around in mid-air, unloading the Freeze Maser. It hit its target but it was far from finished. The monstrosity broke away from the part that was frozen and moved quickly towards their position.

"Acquire new target and fire again!" Gordon ordered as the great ship aimed for the quickly approaching abomination and fired once more. It stopped dead in its tracks and separated the front portion of itself and the maser hit nothing but pavement. It then darted off to the left and lurched up the side of a small hotel to launch itself at the ship.

"Evasive maneuvers!" the Captain yelled as the starboard engines ignited, pushing them hard to the left, barely dodging the thing's lunge as it crashed to the ground below. As the GOTENGO turned to fire again, the mucilaginous horror was already on the attack, ripping up houses and massive chunks of the street with countless tentacles to smash its foe, sandwiching the battleship between the colliding debris. It was rocked by the impact but remained steady.

"Fire again!" Gordon ordered but the monster was prepared and held up a huge slab of concrete as a shield which got frozen instead. Tossing it aside, the creature quickly zipped down into one of the massive holes it had torn in the pavement, disappearing from sight.

"Stay sharp, everyone. That thing could come at us from anywhere," he advised as the airship went into a low search pattern across the decimated landscape. Several moments passed with no sign of their target. "Steady... steady as you go. Stay alert, people," Gordon urged them.

It was then that it suddenly erupted from behind as a towering column-like mass to slam down on the GOTENGO like a giant sledgehammer with so much force that the giant craft was driven through the pavement and into the sewer system, crushing it as well.

"Get us outta here! Fire engines immediately!" Gordon ordered as they tried to break free. But just then, more tendrils shot forth, wrapping around to prevent their escape.

"It's got a grip on us, sir!" the Tactical Officer advised.

"Fire homing missiles. Now!" the Captain ordered. The bonds were bombarded by one cluster after another but with no effect.

"It's no good, sir. The thing is all but invincible!"

"Engines full throttle and fire our laser cannons in conjunction with the homing missiles!" The combined assault detonated upon the massive blob but it was all for naught as they slowly but surely started to get pulled in and the GOTENGO's engines were overpowered. Within seconds, the ship was completely enveloped within the amorphous eating machine and being crushed by the pressure.

"It's attempting to compress the hull, sir!"

"Is the Freeze Maser still charged?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then fire it now!" Gordon ordered. It discharged from the drill tip, freezing a massive chunk of the mutation from the inside out.

"Maser deployed, sir."

"Activate the drill and fire main engines. Now!" Seconds later, the drill and engines roared to life as the great ship exploded forth from within its organic prison and into the open sky. "Bring us around and prepare to fire again."

"Yes, sir!" The GOTENGO circled back around and charged up the maser yet again as the bizarre freak of nature sent more of its tendrils lurching forward, only to be obliterated before the strands could reach them.

"Eliminate any and all escape routes. I want this thing contained!" Gordon insisted. The standard energy maser ignited the buildings and streets surrounding the creature's position, creating walls of flame. "Fire the Freeze Maser again. Now!" he ordered. Once more, the beam struck it dead on. The monster actually recoiled from the terrible weapon.

"Don't let up until that thing is completely frozen! Do I make myself clear?" Captain Gordon ordered sternly. The nightmarish Gudis creation tried to flee in a number of different directions but was unable to get past the raging fires all around it. The Freeze Maser completely overtook it, creating a giant block of ice.

"Alright, now. Radio for a clean-up crew to scoop this thing up before it thaws," Gordon ordered as he leaned back in his command chair. "Then let's go home."

_Missouri_

Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus stood back-to-back, launching every weapon at their disposal as throngs of Black Scorpions converged on them from all sides. As the two cyborgs continued firing, shattered and dismembered remains of the giant insects flew in all directions but they just kept coming. The scant few that made it through the munitions were quickly crushed by hands and feet. Others attacked from the sides and attempted to crawl onto the constructs, only to be utterly perplexed by the invisible forcefields that kept their stingers at bay, not realizing that even without them, their jabbing tails would do little damage.

Although the scorpions posed no real threat to them, the truth of the matter was that they needed to find a faster and more efficient way to wipe them out. Seeing how the over-sized bugs possessed no beam weapons for Titano's reflector dish to take advantage of, a unique strategy was called for. Titano turned to his comrade, opening the dish as Mechagodzilla fired a combination of his eye and chest beams into it. He then ignited his jet propulsion, lifting up and away as Titano turned back toward the charging horde to unleash the magnified power he had absorbed, cutting through the Black Scorpions like a giant scythe.

Mechagodzilla had a special attack in mind as he hovered over their quarry. The burning plasma that normally loaded into his missiles was dumped from his jaws and ignited by his flame breath, turning it into a supercharged form of napalm that incinerated thousands of the creatures below. After this terrible combined blitzkrieg, the remainder of the Black Scorpions beat a hasty retreat, being blasted all the while as they went underground where the cyborgs could not follow. The battle won, Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus departed for their next target.

_South Carolina_

The Xian division of the Space Force Directive had managed to move through all of the southern states virtually unopposed. As Ken'trus watched everything unfolding from the mothership hovering in the upper stratosphere above the United States, he wasn't sure whether to be pleased or insulted that the rest of the country seemed to be more focused on Kong and the Mysterians. "I suppose I will have to get a big hairy monkey before anyone takes me seriously," he sighed.

The Controller was about to regret his assertions as the ship's scanners suddenly picked up something moving towards the Xian forces at amazing speed. A massive ball of destructive energy plummeted down from the clouds above into the center of their armada, causing a mighty explosion. Ken'trus looked on in disbelief as almost half of the Xian forces were wiped out with a single shot. Queen Mothra appeared, having announced her presence with her powerful Solar Wave Attack. She had stayed above the clouds practically all the way from Japan, absorbing energy from the sun to charge her potent weapon.

"Kill her! All remaining units open fire!" Ken'trus ordered as she dove headlong into the Xian fleet, firing every beam at her disposal in all directions. As she passed through the ranks, acidic pollen from her wings blanketed the ships and began to eat away at them. Realizing that the standard dog fighters and ground craft were no match for her, Ken'trus ordered the carrier ships BETA, GAMMA and ALPHA to engage her with a combined beam blast that struck Mothra hard, sending her crashing down to the Earth below.

But before they could move in to continue their attack, scanners indicated more airborne objects approaching quickly from the east. The three carrier ships turned their attention to an incoming flurry of guided missiles as other Xian ships opened fire, detonating some before they reached their targets but others got through. The BETA was hit hard and made a slow decent to the ground below. Ken'trus ran a scan of the coastline and discovered a flotilla of Mu submarines as the source of the barrage.

"Prepare for new coordinates and teleport the kaiju down!" he decreed as various monsters suddenly appeared on the battlefield, charging straight at Mothra who was just starting to lift off the ground. She did not truly wish to harm these kaiju as it was obvious they were being controlled against their will but she also had to defend herself. She fired a combination of beams that tripped and toppled Gorosaurus, Ebirah and Godzilla Junior as the blasts detonated in front of them. However, Kumonga and Anguirus Junior leaped over the rays and straight at the Goddess of Infant Island. Kumonga missed his target as she attempted to dodge but Anguirus' armored ball connected hard, knocking her off balance as Varan glided in from behind to also slam into her.

Mothra went down and tried to lift off again but Baragon suddenly erupted from underground, lunging up and latching on to her left wing with his jaws while Ebirah attacked from the right, clamping a huge pincher on her other wing.

When they had pulled her back down, Gorosuarus took advantage of her prone position and delivered a kangaroo kick directly to her face, sending Mothra flopping over onto her back. A series of breath beams were then rained across her body by Godzilla Junior while the other kaiju piled on top of her like a pack of angry linebackers.

Mothra was down but her Energy Touch attack sent them reeling off in all directions as she lifted up off again. Kumonga sent strands of web towards her but a shot of her eye beams knocked the giant spider over on his back. She had to suddenly swoop down to avoid a double mid-air lunge from both Baragon and Anguirus who ended up colliding head on and knocking each other silly. Varan then flew straight toward her, trying to ram the imago who knocked him out of the sky with her Cross Heat Laser.

Powerful wind gusts from her massive wings hindered Godzilla Junior, Gorosaurus and Ebirah down below. Godzilla used his breath once again but she reflected it, resulting in an explosion that floored all three kaiju.

With all of the monsters momentarily down, Queen Mothra called upon one of her special abilities. Huge branches and vines abruptly grew out of the soil, wrapping and tangling around them until they were practically mummified and immobilized. These beasts may have been capable of rending steel and concrete with their bare claws and teeth but were unable to move or exert any leverage while held fast.

The Xian ships managed to stop the remainder of the missiles but not before the ALPHA was downed when the GAMMA turned its attention toward Mothra. It opened fire, only to have its beam reflected back to bring it down as well.

She engaged the rest of the now severely depleted Xian army which was succumbing to the acidic scales dropping out of the sky. But just as she managed to gain more altitude, a potent laser struck her back. Mothra lost her balance, spinning out of control before landing awkwardly but mowing down several Xian ground machines as she rolled across the landscape.

Looking up, she saw a group of Viran support ships which had until now kept their distance, waiting for the right moment to attack. The blast that struck her was a unified ray bombardment that they intended to repeat. As their weapons primed for a second attack, Mothra pushed herself up with a flap of her wings which she opened to catch their fire and return tenfold. Because the Viran regiment flew in a such a tight attack pattern, the resulting destruction sent them falling from the sky as so much flaming wreckage.

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Off the coast, one of the sub captains was about to congratulate his crew on their effectiveness when the radar suddenly blared a warning to the entire squadron.

"It's the Xian mothership!" the Tactical Officer cried out.

"Open fire! All ships open fire!" screamed the Captain as the Mu subs shot forth their rays at the hulk descending from above, unleashing its own terrible arsenal upon the naval force that wiped them out in a flash of fire and smoke.

A faint transmission was received from one of the few survivors of the Xian invasion force Queen Mothra had annihilated before departing. Ken'trus allowed himself a frustrated huff before barking an order to follow her. "We will kill her ourselves," he finished in a calmer tone.

_Pennsylvania_

The battle against the SFD's Alpha Unit on the northern front had begun in earnest as Gamera launched a volley of plasma fireballs at an oncoming group of Viran cruisers. The Mysterian ships in the regiment were attempting to zero in on Manda who was proving a difficult target to hit as he moved with amazing speed and agility across the landscape. Avoiding the aliens' fire, the great serpent intermittently leapt through the air like a coiled spring, smashing the ships bearing down on him.

Gamera was getting hit by several Viran craft but for the most part, shrugged off their assault as he proceeded to engage some MOGERA in hand-to-hand combat. One got its head taken off while another had a fist punched into its torso. Internal mechanisms and circuitry were torn and demolished as another was cleaved down through its chest diagonally from shoulder to thigh by a spinning downward swing of one of the Atlantean guardian's elbow spurs.

Nearby, Manda used his coils to crush a MOGERA as it toppled over. Two more approached from either side as the God of Mu reared up, seemingly daring them to open fire. They did but only obliterated each other as the giant serpent dodged at the last second. Suddenly, a series of blasts from both Viran and Mysterian ships sent Manda flying and landing with a thud.

He shook off the cobwebs and recoiled for a massive lunge that managed to ensnare and wrap around a Viran ship that was immediately crushed. Manda literally rode the falling wreckage down as it smashed into several Mysterian ships before crashing down on top of a MOGERA. The sleek serpentine kaiju bounded away as their combined explosion echoed across the countryside. With jaws opened wide, Manda then soared straight at another MOGERA to clamp onto the robot's face while the rest of his body encircled it to rip the machine's head off.

Gamera took to the sky, his shell spinning with his head stuck out and unloading one fireball after another. He collided with countless ships, those not instantly blown apart sent plunging to the ground in flames. An assembly of Mysterian and Viran ships quickly besieged the super turtle with a simultaneous beam array that sent him tumbling to the ground below. Coming out of his shell, Gamera stood up just in time to take the full force of several MOGERA beams and rockets. He went flying backwards to crash down yet again. As the gargantuan terrapin staggered back up, Manda suddenly landed hard next to him after being hit with a similar attack.

"So how are you doing?" Gamera asked.

"How do you think?" Manda retorted with a cocked brow.

"Okay, stupid question." The Alpha Unit was closing in around them. "So is today a good day to die?" Manda pondered, sniffing the air.

"Yes. Yes it is," he responded almost jovially.

"I am glad you are happy about it. That makes one of us," Gamera snorted as both beasts readied for the onslaught of all the ships and 'bots opening fire.

At that moment, the aliens' scanners detected something approaching from the south at great speed. A torrent of beams washed over the battalion as Queen Mothra sailed overhead, scattering the armada. Being able to fly at speeds up to mach 15 allowed her to traverse entire states in mere minutes.

Sorry I am late she spoke telepathically to the kaiju.

"Better you late than us dead," Gamera snorted as they took advantage of the distraction to rejoin the battle. Mothra again used her acidic scales to wreak havoc with the alien forces while showering them with an endless cascade of beams in all directions. Gamera plowed through their ranks with tooth, claw and fireballs. On the ground, Manda attacked anything that came down that was not sufficiently damaged and hoped to take off again.

At one point, Mothra fell back and opened her wings wide, allowing the oncoming ships to open fire. Her reflective powder caught this curtain of flame as Gamera flew around from behind and under her, shooting a rapid succession of fireballs from his maw that were caught in the coalescing energy pool between the imago's wings. She released it as as an incredible blast of power that roared forward, stabbing and burning into the very heart of the SFD's northern army. When the blast died down, over three-quarters of the contingent had been destroyed.

"You better get going. We can take care of it from here," Gamera said, turning to her. "Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus have dealt with the Black Scorpions by now and are going after the Kong Unit. They will need your help," he explained.

"Very well, then. Good luck!" Mothra called as she turned and shot off with a sonic boom. It only took a few minutes for the two kaiju to wipe out what remained of the Alpha Unit. In the aftermath of the battle, Gamera noticed a sour expression on Manda's face.

"Please do not tell me that you are upset about not dying," he grunted.

"It was a good day to die," the great serpent assured him as a towering Viras suddenly erupted from the wreckage of a pile of their ships. It had to be over 500 meters tall as the two monsters looked at it in awe and surprise.

"Looks like you might still get your chance!" Gamera figured as they charged forward, only to both be smacked aside by the gigantic creature's huge tentacles. The Viras moved in on Gamera who was on his back but fired a storm of fireballs that pelted the alien's hide, causing it to scream in pain. Blood and gore sprayed forth but it continued forward.

Gamera attempted to jet away but it snatched him out of the sky and held him up high before slamming him down hard onto the ground. The Viras then wound him in its coils and began to crush him as Manda suddenly hurtled through the air. His jaws bit into the monster's left eye, snatching and ripping the soft gelatinous orb from its socket as the beast howled in anguish, releasing Gamera in the process.

The dazed Atlantean construct finally came to his senses and rolled over just in time to see Manda get snatched up by the Viras. Mu's protector struggled in vain as he looked on in horror to see the serpent bitten in half by the fiend's beak.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Gamera cried out as the bisected body was tossed aside like so much trash. In a rage, he rocketed forward, dodging a tentacle swing. A fireball found its mark in the Viras' other eye. With another shriek of misery, he veered up into the sky to dive down into the peel-like folds that crowned the blinded and screaming behemoth's head. Gamera stabbed his right elbow spur deep into the Viras' cranium as its tentacles flailed wildly about its head, trying to reach whatever was up there. Hanging on for dear life, Gamera raked his buried spur across the top of the enormous skull like a giant scalpel. A plasma fireball into the opening turned the titan's brain to melted goo and the exploding flames erupted out of the mammoth kaiju's eye sockets. The Viras went limp and began to teeter over like a redwood. Gamera was sent flying and as he looked up from the ground, the Viras corpse came crashing down on top of him.

_Kong Marches On_

The President stared at the television with a sense of dread as a news chopper above San Francisco relayed what its cameras were seeing for a live feed. It had all begun there but the attacks soon spread across the rest of the United States like a plague. He couldn't help but wonder if the nation's capital would suffer the same fate.

"Mister President?" the Vice President addressed him, walking into the War Room. "Just thought you would like to know that the Xian and Alpha Unit divisions of the Space Force Directive have been stopped by Mothra, Gamera and Manda. Also, Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus have dispatched the majority of the Black Scorpions and are now, along with a fleet of Simeon ships, on their way to engage the Kong-led invasion force."

"Where will they intercept them?" the President asked excitedly, overjoyed at the news.

"Somewhere around Ohio, sir."

"Good! Let's hope that our only allies have what it takes to stop this menace," the President said boldly.

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In Pennsylvania, Gamera had finally managed to climb out from under the giant Viras and over to the top half of Manda's body. Amazingly, the great serpent was still alive but fading fast.

"I... told you it was a good day to die..." he weakly stuttered.

"Yes... Yes it was," Gamera said softly as he cradled his friend and ally's head in his arms. "You saved my life. Thank you." He tried to hold back his own sorrow but Manda could see it in his eyes.

"Do... not... grieve. To die in glorious battle, fighting for your home and loved ones... is the greatest honor I could have ever attained. And I hope that one day... you will know this glory as well... Farewell... friend..." Manda trailed off, the light finally fading from his eyes. Gamera hung his head as he gently put Manda's body back on the ground. Perhaps if he had not been so caught up in his own emotions, he would have noticed the AZAG-THOTH descending down from the clouds behind him.

Gamera realized the danger too late as he spun around, only to be blasted by the Viran flagship's potent armament. His flaming body was sent spiraling through the air and deep into the side of a mountain. The ship opened fire once more, striking the hillside and turning it into a pile of rubble.

"Let that be your final resting place!" C'seris hissed. It may not have been the same Gamera that defeated his brethren nearly 40 years ago but any chance to destroy a member of that cursed race was an opportunity that he would not pass by. "Life signs?" he asked.

"None, sir," Elarkus replied.

"Excellent." C'seris crossed his tentacles in front of him as he drank deeply of his revenge that tasted as sweet, if not sweeter, than the finest wine.

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The Elias had been serving as interpreter, mediator and liaison for the kaiju to help co-ordinate the UWP's offensive. "Mothra is now flying towards the United States to aid your forces in their battle," Moll reported.

"Excellent! With her help, we will stop the Space Force Directive once and for all!" Argon stated proudly, feeling for the first time as if they actually had a chance of winning this horrendous war.

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Kong and an incalculable number of MOGERAs were moving through the rugged landscape of a small mountain range known as the Allegheny Plateau when the giant ape suddenly picked up a distant but distinct sound different from those of the wilderness around them. A few seconds later, the MOGERAs detected it as well. Their scanners located the source of the disturbance as Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus flew toward them with a squadron of Simeon ships right behind.

Looks like we have company Kong pondered as the constructs quickly approached. When they were in range, Titanosaurus hopped off Mechagodzilla's back as he came down, launching everything he had directly into the heart of the massive MOGERA swarm while the airborne Simeons engaged them in the skies above.

Mechagodzilla landed, firing his eye beams but Kong threw his arms up in front of himself, deflecting the rays off their alloy plating. The robot quickly thrust out his right hand, firing off some missiles but the great ape dove to the ground and rolled, dodging the salvo as it whizzed by him. He popped back up directly in Mechagodzilla's face. An uppercut sent the mech flying back into the side of a mountain. Firing his chest cutter while still on the ground, Kong deflected it as well and went for a straight right jab. Mechagodzilla dodged and Kong's fist smashed into the mountain, getting stuck.

The robot slammed his right hand into the back of his head, smashing it into the rocky surface with a terrible crunching sound. Kong managed to pull his arm free and lashed out with a backhand but Mechagodzilla ducked and gave him a nasty uppercut of his own, followed by a head-butt before wrapping his arms around him for a German release belly-to-belly suplex, sending Kong through the air over his head. Mechagodzilla prepared to unload everything in his arsenal but his target quickly rushed behind a huge rock formation as he opened fire.

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At the North Pole, the Mysterians had picked up Mothra on their radar. "She is approaching from the east and appears to be heading straight for Ohio at a speed of Mach 15, sir," an operator called out.

"What? Contact the Xian mothership immediately!" Koban shouted. Ken'trus soon acknowledged, almost sounding annoyed. "Mothra is on an intercept course with the battle taking place in Ohio!" Koban exclaimed.

"And that worries you?"

"I do not want her getting anywhere near the Kong Unit!"

"What? Are you afraid that your mega-monkey and his army of tin men can't handle her?" Ken'trus teased, angering Koban even further.

"Oh, yes. Of course! Because your forces handled her so well," he stabbed back, taking pleasure in the slightly embarrassed and angry frown Ken'trus displayed on the viewscreen for the briefest of moments.

"I am following her right now. I will take care of Super Bug myself."

"Don't be a fool, Ken'trus! This is not a situation to be taken lightly! You know damn well what kind of power this continually transforming creature now possesses. She nearly killed Gudis!"

"It is funny that you should mention him. I have him on our scanners right now and he appears to be making a beeline for Mothra. Maybe he intends to take care of our pest problem for us."

"Will he reach her before she arrives at the combat zone?" Koban asked with baited breath.

"Yes."

"Superb! Move your mothership in and if an opportunity presents itself to destroy both of them, take it!"

"You are giving me orders now, Koban? You forget that I am not one of your little drones," Ken'trus asserted bluntly with a slight smirk. Koban was seconds away from a temper-induced aneurysm but managed to contain himself long enough to say what he needed to.

"Would you rather we deal with them now or later?"

"Fine," the Controller responded complacently as the Mysterian king ended the transmission.

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Queen Mothra was only a few miles away from the battle when Gudis suddenly slammed down into her from above at blinding speed. Both kaiju collided hard with the ground below. "Hi, there! Miss me?" Gudis snarked with wicked glee as he bore his weight down on the imago, grinding her face into the earth.

"Gudis!" she bleated with surprise.

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At UWP headquarters, the Elias quickly sensed that something was wrong and Argon could see it on their tiny faces. "What is it?" he asked.

"Gudis is back. He is engaging Mothra right now!" Moll fretted as he and Bordu looked on, sharing their concern but also realizing that Gudis' sudden arrival was keeping her from reaching Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus.

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Titanosaurus smashed and cleaved a swath of destruction through the seemingly endless MOGERA army as his laser cutter, missiles and cluster blasts annihilated many of them. One was sliced in half while another got blown apart. A third had a massive hole clean through it while a fourth lost its head. Backing into the side of a mountain, Titanosaurus briefly dropped his shield and opened his reflector dish as a torrent of beams was fired by the advancing automatons. He absorbed the blasts and fired back the concentrated energy to obliterate nearly a dozen in one shot.

Above, the Simeon spacecraft found themselves dwarfed in size, out-numbered and out-gunned but they possessed a distinct advantage in maneuverability as both sides exchanged fire. One critically damaged Simeon ship fearlessly kamikazeed into an oncoming MOGERA, resulting in a spectacular explosion that tore apart the robot's upper torso. Its remains fell to the ground as other ships opted for tandem offense against the MOGERAs' arsenal. Their combined laser fire proved effective in breaching the Mysterian machines' armor. Others that found themselves being tailed either evaded their pursuers or were blown out of the sky.

Nearby, Mechagodzilla searched for Kong who had managed to elude him. Furthermore, there was some kind of strange ore within the surrounding rock formations that caused interference on his scanners that would otherwise pin-point his location instantly. Kong huddled nearby as he generated a massive surge of voltage that he charged himself with when he placed his hands on his chest. A few moments later, Mechagodzilla noticed a large pile of rock moving and rising up. Kong suddenly barged through his cover, slamming both of his crossed forearms directly into Mechagodzilla who went tumbling like a stray bowling pin.

He looked up just in time to take the full brunt of Kong's focused electricity beam as the augmented ape put his index fingers and thumbs together, generating the powerful blast that put the mech hard into a huge stone slab. Before the robot could react, Kong spear-tackled him, smashing him through it and sending chunks of rock flying in all directions.

Titanosaurus found himself pinned down by countless beams and rockets. He was forced to one knee as his force field came dangerously close to being overloaded. The cyborg had lost track of exactly how many MOGERAs he had destroyed but it seemed like more would quickly take their place. Mechagodzilla saw that he was in trouble but was still tangled up with Kong who connected with one roundhouse punch after another, knocking the construct back and forth.

On one swing, Mechagodzilla caught his fist and gave him a quick judo throw off to the side before making a mad dash to where his partner was. Lifting off, Mechagodzilla fired everything he had, sending MOGERA parts and pieces flying in all directions. Several of them took to the air as well, trying to shoot the titanium terror down but it proved far too maneuverable for a direct hit.

Having gained a respite, Titanosaurus was able to use his reflector dish again and more MOGERAs got blown to smithereens but suddenly, Kong rushed in from behind, slapping his hands together on the sides of his head and generating a huge electro-magnetic pulse that wreaked havoc on the cyborg's internal systems. Kong let go and Titanosaurus fell to the ground in a heap and unmoving. Mechagodzilla came down and ran a quick scan on his partner. An EMP pulse had shut him down and he was on his own now.

Mechagodzilla began searching for Kong and finally spotted him atop a high peak as he heaved back to throw another EMP that soared right into the aerial dogfight between the Simeon ships and the MOGERAs. When it went off, every machine came crashing down. To Kong, it was of no consequence for the MOGERAs were so great in number that those lost were negligible.

More MOGERAs that had remained outside of the EMP's range moved in and began to surround the robot. They all opened fire at once, using the same strategy they had tried before on Titanosaurus to overload his force field. Mechagodzilla went berserk as his plasma missiles loaded and the top half of his body began to spin like a roulette wheel with his arms stretched out. All the while, the MOGERAs continued firing as legions more of them descended on the battlefield.

Kong, seeing that Mechagodzilla was occupied, picked his moment and generated an incredible ball of energy between his palms that was as big as his torso and heaved back to hurl it directly at him. The resulting explosion overloaded the robot's force field. He went flying and slammed high and hard into a rock face before rolling back down to the ground. As he got up, Mechagodzilla realized something was wrong when he tried to launch a round of missiles and nothing happened. After performing a quick internal diagnostic, he discovered that his weapons systems had been knocked off line by the blast and loss of his shield.

"Experiencing technical difficulties?" Kong grunted in his native dialect.

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In Ohio, Gudis considered his opponent. "You have continued to grow in strength, guardian. You may theoretically now be as immortal as I am. Let us test this theory, shall we?" he menaced Mothra with an inquisitive snarl as he got a firm grip on her wings and began to pull.

Her ire raised, Gaia's soldier summoned intense waves of energy that reeled off her body and practically seared Gudis' hide clean off. The monstrosity fought through the pain and pulled harder, threatening to rip her wings off. She set off a waft of acidic scales right into Gudis' face, literally melting his eyes in their sockets. Letting go and screaming in agony, he was thrown off as if he had been astride a bucking bronco.

Gudis sprang back up quickly but before his eyes could fully regenerate, Mothra spun around, swinging one of her massive wings hard into the side of his head, knocking the monster head over heels. Rebounding fast, Gudis fired off one of his arm beams that Mothra dodged before blasting him with a combination of her Cross Heat Laser and Prism Beams. Gudis avoided them with a series of hand spring back flips.

"C'mon, let's see what you've really go-" KABLAM! A colossal beam fired from above which also drilled Mothra who tried to deflect it with her reflective scales plowed him deep into a hillside. All was quiet as the Xian mothership descended out of the clouds, its main laser weapon still smoldering from the discharge.

"That was easy... Get in touch with Koban and tell him that we swatted his fly for him," Ken'trus ordered, somewhat disappointed. Down below, Gudis rose, turning his attention to this new arrival.

"What have we here? Ah, the Xians," he realized with a nod.

"Gudis appears to be unharmed, Controller," a technician advised.

"Then hit him again," Ken'trus ordered nonchalantly, getting out of his seat to take a casual stroll around the bridge. Again the beam fired but Gudis flew straight up, drinking in its energy until he reached the mammoth craft. Placing his hands on its defensive shield, he proceeded to drain power from it.

"He is siphoning energy from the shields!" a Xian officer exclaimed, causing Ken'trus to look over his shoulder with sudden concern. On the viewscreen, Gudis wore a malicious smile and seemed to be staring right at him.

Captain, if I push these impulse engines any farther, they'll blow apart! the Gudis teased telepathically in Ken'trus' head, doing an impression of Scotty from STAR TREK.

"Increase power to the primary weapon!" Ken'trus ordered.

"It is already at maximum. The shields are going to go at any moment!" Outside, Gudis continued to taunt them.

"Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! You're all gonna diiiiiiie!" he cackled.

"Lock the teleporter onto Gudis. Now!"

"Where do I send him?"

"Anywhere! Just get him away from us!" Ken'trus howled. A split second later, the Gudis was gone but another psychic voice entered his mind.

You will fail in your mission and you will feel my wrath Queen Mothra declared as she suddenly exploded forth from the hillside she had been buried in.

"Shield status?"

"Thirty percent!" the tech informed him as Mothra charged up her solar flare attack. Now on her guard, she was too quick to be caught by the laser beam a second time.

"Open fire!" Ken'trus commanded. "Use the teleporter again. Quickly!" Before Mothra could fire, she also vanished. The Controller slumped back down in his command chair to resume his composure, shaking off the worrisome emotions that had plagued him only moments before.

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The Gudis suddenly found himself in the Philippines. Mothra ended up in Alaska just as her solar flare released, obliterating a huge snow drift. In Japan, the Elias knew what had transpired. "Mothra and Gudis have been removed from America by the Xians."

"What?" Argon yelled in surprise but then it hit him. "Their teleporters! Where is she? Can she make it back to Ohio?"

"She will try. The question is whether it will be in time," Belvera informed him.

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The MOGERAs began to move in and prepared to open fire once more. This would surely result in Mechagodzilla's demise but Kong brought his hand up to halt them. He beat on his chest to get his adrenaline flowing and roared out a challenge which the mech responded to with his trademark metallic hiss.

Let's see how tough you are without your toys Kong thought to himself as he bounded towards the robot with a mighty leap. Mechagodzilla caught him in mid-air and power-slammed him down hard into the ground with earthshaking force, knocking the wind out of him.

Okay... apparently pretty tough... Kong contemplated as he caught his breath. Mechagodzilla tried to stomp one of his huge feet onto the Lord of Farou Island but he rolled out of the way and sprang up, wrapping his arms around the robot, picking him up and slamming him back down hard in a spine buster. Kong then proceeded to pound away furiously but Mechagodzilla did a quick nip up, kicking him in the face in the process as he got back to his feet.

The two juggernauts exchanged a dizzying array of punches and back-hands as they each tried to topple the other with no sign of either giving in. At one point, Mechagodzilla gave Kong a stiff kick to the gut, doubling him over for an instant. He then picked him up into a power bomb and brought Kong down on the back of his head and neck with terrific impact. He lay stunned on the ground as Mechagodzilla reached down, pulled him up and threw him head first into the side of the same mountain the mech had crashed into earlier.

As Kong slumped down and rolled over onto his back, Mechagodzilla advanced quickly. Standing over the gargantuan primate, he tried something new after checking to see if his rotating wrist gyros were still functional. They were and his hands began to spin at blinding speed. He prepared to gore them directly into the seemingly prone Kong's face but only inches away from making contact, the ape's hands suddenly thrust up, grabbing his arms and giving the Simeon war machine a kick of his own, sending it falling backwards.

Rising, Kong built up a huge amount of voltage and planted his hands on his chest yet again but this time, it wasn't a brief pick-me-up. He continued pumping electricity into his body until his eyes were practically glowing and one could literally see the muscles on his body swelling. Mechagodzilla rushed back in to engage Kong but the empowered ape grabbed his hands and quickly forced him to his knees with his now far superior strength.

"I have to admit, I am impressed. Before today, I never would have believed that any machine could do what you have just done to me. For what it's worth... you have amused me," Kong rumbled in kaiju-speak before he crushed Mechagodzilla's hands like soda cans. The finger missiles that were locked and loaded exploded and sent both combatants flying in opposite directions.

Mechagodzilla realized after a quick analysis that with Kong's new strength and his current condition, there was no way he could win this battle. Opting for a strategic retreat, he rushed over to Titanosaurus, threw him over his shoulder and ignited his jet propulsion, taking them both up into the sky.

Because Kong had ordered the MOGERAs to stand down and not attack, the duo escaped. The great ape finally cleared the cobwebs and sat up, rubbing his head. He pounded the ground in frustration, angry at himself for letting his adversaries get away but quickly remembered that the invasion was the top priority. Kong stood up and waved at the MOGERAs to proceed along the course they were originally headed before Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus showed up.


	16. East Bound And Down

_Low Blows_

"Damn!" Commander Argon swore, slamming his fist down on the control console next to where Bordu was sitting. Everyone had watched the incredible battle and had hoped that Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus would be victorious but that was not to be. "Damage report?" the Simeon finally asked.

"The explosion, aside from taking out Mechagodzilla's force field, also damaged his weapons systems. Titanosaurus has been shut down by Kong's EMP. And then there is the physical damage. Mechagodzilla's armor will probably need some patching up and his missile gauntlets replaced. At least both of them are enroute back here."

"Good. Hopefully, we will not lose too much time on repairs."

"We are sorry, Commander..." Lora said regretfully.

"No apologies are required. You tried to help. You could not have known this would happen," Argon assured the Elias. They asked to be excused to converse with Mothra and left the room.

"Commander?" the Communications Officer interrupted. "We are receiving a transmission, sir. It looks like... it is from the North Pole..."

"What? Does the carrier signal have an ID code?"

"If my readings are correct, sir, it appears to be... Mysterian."

Argon sighed. "Here we go... Go ahead and patch it in, Lieutenant," Argon directed. An image of Lord Koban appeared on the viewscreen. Beside him stood Ken'trus and C'seris but the two were in hologram form. Koban's was the only live image.

"Well, if it isn't the almighty United World Powers. We meet at last," he snickered.

"What is it you want?" demanded General Aso. "To gloat at the defeat of our forces?"

"Yes, I would love to do so but my purpose is business. I seek a peaceful alliance between us, even if you always think that I am here to destroy your little world."

"Is that what you call the deaths of millions of innocent people?" exclaimed Bordu. Argon gave him a look that told him to simmer down. If anything, they didn't need to give the Space Force Directive any more reason to enjoy their triumphs.

"The United States can surrender any time but instead, they keep attacking us. We just want what any other being wants: to continue to exist. I call our acts self defense." The last part was said in a whimper-like, sarcastic tone.

"You have got to be joking!" Argon roared. "The first notice we got from the Directive was the destruction of San Francisco!"

"Let me tell you a little story, shall I? It is called the first ever Mysterian act of peace. It starts out in the Earth year 1957. A little race called the Mysterians has just finished a war and is in need of food, water and women to repopulate their species. If you don't already know, they suffer from horrible radiation poisoning. They landed in Japan and kindly asked for a kilometer of land and only five women. When the humans didn't answer their cry for help, they had no choice but to go about taking what they needed by force. When the old king died in battle, the new one - that's me, by the way - decided to cut out the middle man and simply do away with these hostile humans."

"Japan would have aided you had you not DEMANDED land and people," General Aso reminded him.

"You could have done without the land. And what people do you speak of? The women? I thought those were creatures to breed with and clean house..."

"How dare you!" shouted the Mu Emperor, insulted for his wife at such a statement.

"How dare I? How dare you for putting a woman in charge of the lives of your citizens. You might as well say that when we take over your people, we will be doing them a favor." Behind his visor, Koban smirked, delighted in the fact that he was egging the humans on.

"If you have something to say, invader, you can say it directly to me!" the Mu Empress cut in.

"Bah! Why would I waste words on a useless wench?" Koban asked, dismissing Queen Fimitreous as if it somehow lowered him to even have to converse with the Empress directly.

"Such arrogance and disrespect shall not be tolerated!" King Hector threatened.

"And who gave this boy permission to speak, let alone address me directly?" Koban sneered sarcastically.

"Boy? Boy, you say? I am the ruler of Seatopia and representative of my people! And we, as will the rest of the races that comprise the United World Powers shall not bow down to your tyranny!"

"As if you have a choice in the matter. We will crush you underfoot on a whim if I so choose."

"You make it sound like it is all over. One battle does not win a war," Argon reminded the Mysterian.

"War? What war? This is no war! No more than it would be if it were between the humans and insects. And that is what you are, after all. Helpless, insignificant little insects."

"Insects that just took out three quarters of your invasion force," Argon jabbed back, much to Koban's displeasure.

"You will be silent or I shall see you dead before me!" the Mysterian king hissed angrily.

"Indeed? The race that once enslaved my people used those words. Funny thing is, they lived and learned to regret them," Argon growled.

"Is that some kind of threat? Please! You must be joking. I, however, am not. I will give you all one last opportunity to surrender to us peacefully before I take any further action. Choose your answer wisely, for I shall not make this offer again. And you know that you will receive no such consideration from the Gudis or the Kilaaks."

"Yeah, because that will never happen," Argon replied with his own brand of sarcasm. "I think that helmet of yours is cutting off the circulation to your brain." He got a slight snicker from Bordu while behind his visor, Koban's eyes burned with a fiery rage at the green ape on his viewscreen. After he finished laying waste to the United States, HE would be next.

The Mu Empress stood up from her seat to present a new angle of argument, though she knew the chance of success was all but nil. "I am most surprised at you, Ken'trus, for your traitorous actions against us. I thought that the Xians had become peaceful - friends to the Earth and willing to 'offer assistance in any way' you could. I had hoped that our two races would have joined forces and defended ourselves against our true enemies." She threw a quick glare of hatred toward Koban. "And now you turn against us? I would have thought you better than that. And where is Sar'rious? Why haven't we heard from him since the last conference? Does he even know what you are up to, Ken'trus? Or will he ever... Controller?" she concluded with a raised eyebrow which Ken'trus' holographic figure returned. Sensing her ploy, the Emperor stood to join her.

"And you, Viran. You are not a military people. You did not come to this planet to conquer it. You are unprepared for such a move. Why join this tyrannical madman in his quest for power? Do you not know he will only destroy you in the end? Are you going to allow him to shame your species as he has shamed us?"

"Shut up! All of you!" Koban roared. "My patience runs short. Surrender or die!" The communication suddenly cut off and the viewscreen in the UWP conference room went blank. A second later, green rolling hills appeared and light music began to play.

"I think we need a different approach," Ken'trus said, his hologram turning to face Koban. "If you intend on making any kind of deal with them for the sake of having to fight less of their forces, you are not going to get it like this."

"Agreed," spoke C'seris. "These people are far too stubborn to ever take you seriously. Why not just destroy them now?"

"Because if he destroys them, who is going to obey his every command? You are forgetting, C'seris. Koban is a god," Ken'trus advised him. Suddenly, the Xian giggled and drew raised eyebrows from his two comrades.

"And what is so amusing?" asked the Viran.

"'Our two races would have joined forces and defended ourselves against our true enemies'," Ken'trus mimicked. "What did she have in mind? The 'Space Nations?' How I hate humans..."

"Enough! I will handle this on my own terms and no other! If they refuse to submit to me, they will suffer as they have never suffered before!" With that, Koban glared from the viewscreen and slammed his fist onto the transmission button. "So what is it going to be? Slavery or death?" the King demanded, catching the UWP off guard. A. Johnson stood up from the table to speak.

"We were discussing the matter and have unanimously decided to fight to the death..." Koban huffed with visible aggravation and annoyance while the Ambassador stood unmoving, sending a stern and serious stare across the miles and into the Mysterian's dark visor that would have cowed most any human. Koban positioned himself closer to the screen, his hands clenched together in front of him.

"Let me make this very clear," he seethed. "You have no forces left with which to defend the last fifth of the United States. Imagine the entire eastern seaboard rocking on the side of a table. Think of all those millions who have absolutely nowhere to run to. You call me an enemy to humanity? I haven't seen you helping yourselves out very much! In fact, I should have employed the other countries of the world to do some of my work for me. Once again, I go back to the table metaphor. You alone control the fate of the eastern United States. We can stop now and they won't be killed or I can start checking cities off of my list."

"We did not support the United Nations' decision to reject the United States," Argon replied. "And we promised ourselves that we would give every ounce of assistance we could to help them. We will not back down."

"There goes Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. What a pity... I heard that the weather is beautiful down there. How do you know they even want your help? I am sure many Americans would much rather be captured than die. Remind me again just what weapons you have at your disposal," Koban sneered."

"We still have enough to give you a helluva fight, you pathetic swine," Argon seethed. "The answer is still no."

"Goodbye North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Oh, really? Clearly, Mu is at a disadvantage because I know for a fact that Manda is dead. Of course, what use was a skinny rope with legs?"

"Do not speak our guardian's name from your vile lips!" yelled the Mu Emperor. The Express was livid with rage right beside him.

"And Seatopia," continued Koban, ignoring them. "Without your over-sized beetle to protect you, you are a joke. Oh. I meant 'treasured deity'. I do not want to step on your primitive bug-worshiping toes," he mocked.

"I swear on my soul that you will pay dearly for your offenses! You will be held accountable for your contemptible crimes," spat Hector.

"I highly doubt that," Koban laughed as he turned his attention back to the Simeon Commander. "It goes without saying that I gave you a good thrashing, Argon. I doubt Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus will be up and running in time to protect you. Japan is being obliterated as we speak. Not like it was a threat to begin with. So that only leaves the sad little toy soldiers you call the American army and your various technologies."

"Your attempts to waver our resolve are not working, Koban. Not even against the harshest odds will we back down," Argon firmly stated over the low rumble of curses and threats.

"New York to Maryland and everything in between!" Koban roared gloriously but Argon could sense the rising anger in his voice.

"Never," he said calmly.

"Fine! I will just take the whole northeast then. I will level every city flat and keep right on going!"

"Try it and we will fight you every step of the way."

"And when I am finished with them and have paraded down the streets of Washington, D.C., I will set off depth charges in your undersea kingdom and then find your Simeon base, take your precious Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus and use them to wipe you from existence, you stupid ape!"

"By all means, try but you will have to fight your way there."

"And when I have destroyed every scrap of you down to atoms, I will take each and every citizen of Planet Earth and see to it myself that they are given the most grueling torture I can think of! I WILL TAKE CHILDREN AND DISEMBOWEL THEM! I WILL RIP UNBORN BABIES FROM THEIR MOTHERS' WOMBS! I WILL KILL WIVES IN FRONT OF THEIR HUSBANDS AND HUSBANDS IN FRONT OF THEIR WIVES! I WILL KILL LIKE NO OTHER BEING HAS EVER BEFORE IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE! I WILL DUMP THE BODIES INTO THE SUN! You think what I have done so far is bad? WAIT UNTIL YOU REALLY SEE WHAT I CAN DO! I WILL -"

"Tell us every excruciating detail, you sad, sad excuse for a ruler and I will deny you each time," Argon assured him. "We are tired of your pathetic threats! No matter what you do, we will fight to the last man. You cannot and will not deter us! Now if you are through, we do have to get back to fighting you."

"I do believe humanity still has some control of Earth and we do intend to fight for it," Johnson said smoothly. Everyone in the room now had caught onto Argon's game and acted much calmer.

"So be it," said Koban vengefully. "But you will not receive this offer again."

"Good bye," Johnson said, waving to Koban.

"Good bye," the chorus of representatives said in unison, also waving with smiles on their faces. Koban slammed his fist down so hard on his console that he cut the feed and dented the cabinet. He stood silently for a moment, breathing heavily, his body tense as utter hatred and disgust welled up within his expansive ego. Finally, Ken'trus broke the silence.

"So tell me," he said, observing his gloved hand as if checking his fingernails for dirt. "What was the point of that again?" Koban seethed even more, his hidden eyes shifting to the Xian scum.

"Indeed," C'seris added. "You knew you were going to kill them all anyway after we were finished. What did you hope to accomplish?"

"Shut up!" shouted Koban. "Don't make me hate you, too..." His eyes darted back and forth to each alien. Ken'trus sighed.

"It was a pleasure as always to hear you rant about yourself. But I really must be getting back to my game of world domination." Ken'trus turned his back to walk away, the hologram vanishing behind him. On the opposite side, C'seris also clicked off his transmission and his avatar disappeared. Koban stood in a huff and alone for another few minutes until he finally let out a cry of anger.

"Why can't everyone just DIE?" He walked out of the room toward his personal quarters.

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"He is right, you know. We have no real army to speak of. Ninety-five percent of our super weapons have been destroyed or badly damaged. Our traditional military forces are shrinking fast and even with the combined efforts of our oceanic allies, I fear we still come up short against their might... Besides that, they have all the kaiju." Johnson sat back in his seat and stretched his jaw muscles. He had always hated smiling. Although General Aso would never admit it, he knew Johnson was right. Had they only been fighting one alien force, they might have had a better chance at winning. But with the Kilaaks on the other side of the planet bashing them as well, their options were nearly exhausted. If only the U.N. would have done something! he thought.

"So what do we do now?" asked the Mu Emperor doubtfully.

"What can we do?" replied Johnson. The room was silent. Everyone thought the same thing: No matter how well they put their remaining forces to use, it would only buy them limited time.

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The future of their society and human mastery of the world seemed very much in doubt when a voice to their left suddenly suggested, "How about roll over and die?" A security guard slowly lifted his head. "...That sounds good to me," he finished, his eyes blazing a bright red. Commander Argon recognized the voice immediately.

"Gudis!" He quickly drew his sidearm and blew the man's head off, much to the shock of the UWP members. Alarms suddenly sounded throughout the complex as it was stormed by hundreds of formerly human Gudis drones, howling and shrieking like insane beasts as they attacked en masse.

"Get out of here! Now!" Argon ordered as the UWP leaders were rushed out of the conference room. Simeon and human guards mobilized to confront the oncoming tide that had enhanced strength and eye beams that were quickly put to deadly use before they were met with heavy resistance. The screams of the injured and dying soon echoed throughout the base.

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A large group of drones burst into the hangar where the GOTENGO had just docked after returning from Russia. "Good evening, folks," Captain Gordon said over a loudspeaker as the targeting laser cannons on the ship picked off every one of them. With his katana in one hand and a Pfeifer-Zeliska .600 Nitro Express Magnum in the other, he rushed out of the ship. Gordon placed himself at the forefront of the chaos with the most powerful handgun in the world. Its ammunition, capable of dropping a charging elephant, dispatched drones left and right in a manner that would have made Dirty Harry proud. He simultaneously dodged eye blasts and sliced to ribbons any drone that came within arm's reach.

Using an emergency escape route, General Aso led the UWP members to a secret door hidden in the back of the facility but as he reached out to touch it, a voice came from the other side.

"Knock, knock!" An inhuman clawed hand smashed through, grabbing Aso by the throat as the startled officials jumped back in horror. The creature then tore its way through the door, shattering it to pieces while still maintaining a firm grip on the General's neck. A seven-foot version of the Gudis' kaiju form had manifested itself through one of its drones.

Back in the main part of the complex, the humans and Simeons were falling quickly but continued to fight on valiantly until only Captain Gordon remained standing. He made a mad dash to the same door as eye beams trailed behind him. Rolling through at the last second as their fire whizzed by, he quickly closed the door after grabbing a satchel he had left beside it. Knowing that the drones could blast through at any moment, he fumbled through it as they turned their combined energy on the doorway to tear it asunder. Charging in, they spotted him at the end of a long hallway and gave chase. Gordon waited for the majority of them to arrive and brought a small remote up to his head. The drones stopped for a moment, puzzled by the smug grin he was wearing.

"Bye, bye," he smiled as he hit the button, setting off a series of explosive charges lining the hallway and splattering the infected mob in all directions before that part of the base came down on top of them.

"So this is the United World Powers, eh? Looks like a bad costume party to me..." Gudis laughed. General Aso, still in his grasp, drew his sidearm and unloaded it in the alien's face, much to its annoyance. "Wow... that was pointless." Suddenly, Captain Gordon barrelled in and sliced off the hand that was suspending the General above the floor. "Now that was just rude," Gudis sighed as he eyed the severed limb.

"Then you are really going to hate this!" Gordon snickered before blowing the monster's head open with a round from his gun. The beast fell over as the General managed to cough out a thank you to the Captain.

"What about the Gudis drones?" Bordu shouted.

"I took them out in the main corridor," Gordon advised.

"Where are the Elias?" Johnson wondered.

"In another part of the base. Hopefully, they are safe and unharmed," King Hector offered.

"What now?" Aso wondered, finally having got his breath back.

"DEATH! BLOODY, MESSY, CHUNKY, SCREAMING DEATH!" Gudis screeched, sitting up as his head regenerated. "Do you have any idea how much that stung?" he went on, standing up.

"Not as much as this will!" Argon shouted, appearing in the room with a rocket launcher. Everyone hit the floor a split second before the missile flew over them to demolish the Gudis' torso but once more, the viral brute began to regenerate.

"The armory!" the Mu Emperor suggested. "We will make our stand there!" A few moments later, they had the reinforced door shut behind them but knowing full well that it wouldn't hold. Everyone was at the ready as they waited for the doors to come crashing down but the Gudis suddenly burst through the wall to their right. Flying debris knocked down the Mu Emperor as Gudis grabbed Queen Fimetreous who was the closest to him, lifting her off the ground. The others could not open fire for fear of hitting her.

"You look good enough to eat! In fact that ain't such a bad idea!" he cackled, opening his jaws wide.

"Not today, demon!" she warned, drawing a hidden dagger and stabbing it into one of his eyes. From across the room, King Hector threw his sword, putting it deep into Gudis' brain pan. The alien abomination staggered back, dropping the Empress. As she rolled out of the way, the rest of the UWP blasted away with small arms fire but Gudis walked through the barrage while reaching up and wrenching the sword and dagger from his skull.

"Fire in the hole!" Johnson shouted as he tossed a grenade belt with all of the pins pulled at Gudis. Everyone dove for cover. When it went off, it blew Gudis through the armory doors, knocking them down and putting him into the adjacent wall. Everyone riddled the mutilated body with more small arms fire, hoping to stop or at least slow down the creature's regeneration but it wasn't working. Gudis fired off both his eye beams and breath ray as he rose, causing everyone to dodge in all directions. As he stepped back through the doorway, Bordu suddenly darted in from the side, slapping a timed charge on him as everyone ducked down again.

"You look good enough to eat! In fact that ain't such a bad idea!" he cackled, opening his jaws wide.

His decimated chest healing as he attempted to rise, General Aso unloaded a pump shotgun into the Gudis' massive wound. When it was emptied, Angelique drove her sword into the side of his neck. A wild tail swing swatted her away, angering Hector who swung a fire axe into the back of one of the monster's legs, bringing him down to one knee.

Both of the Mu rulers thrust their swords into the sides of his rib cage where there was a small area unprotected by armor plating. Gordon capped this attack by slicing Gudis' face off with his katana.

Down but far from out, Gudis brought forth his tentacles to dislodge the blades in his sides and knock everyone away from him as he stood back up. Commander Argon appeared in the back of the armory with a General Electric XM214 Mini-gun and opened fire as Bordu stepped beside him with a bazooka. The two weapons managed to push Gudis back and he decided that he had had enough, sending out an energy shockwave from his body that floored everyone in the room. Tentacles then shot out, grabbing and pinning them against the wall, unable to move.

"Well, that certainly was entertaining... And me without a camera. I think I could've given Wile E. Coyote a run for his money!" Gudis guffawed as the UWP members struggled helplessly against the coils that restrained them. "Now I have to decide how to kill all of you and in the most painful ways imaginable. Seriously! Your pathetic guardian monsters and machines couldn't stop me so what spectacular brain-fried stupidity made any of you think you could?" he rambled on as his tentacles slowly began to crush and strangle them.

"Let them go!" a tiny voice yelled from behind Gudis.

"Is that the voice of an Elias sister that I hear?" Gudis inquired as he twisted his head completely around in Linda Blair EXORCIST fashion, the vertebrae in his neck making a series of odd and sickening sounds. Standing a few feet behind him were indeed the Elias. Lora cringed at the sight of the monster while Belvera shook her head in revulsion. Moll, however, remained firm, having called out to him.

Just then, a new swarm of Gudis drones arrived in the corridor outside the armory and behind the Elias. One rushed toward the seemingly defenseless fairies, roaring and slobbering with its hands outstretched to snatch them up. But when it got within reach, its arms suddenly burst into flames and was thrown back and to the floor, wailing and screaming as it flailed and rolled across the floor, trying to extinguish the burning limbs. The others, who looked as if they had also been ready to pounce, quickly backed away as the Elias remained unmoving.

Gudis rolled his eyes. "And now the gangs' all here. This little party wouldn't be complete without you," he expounded with a frightening stare.

"I said let them GO!" Moll demanded once more.

"And if I don't?"

"Be honest with yourself, Gudis. You never cared about the United World Powers. It was always us you wanted to destroy more than anything. Is that not so?"

"Killing is killing no matter how you slice it and I'll take just as much pleasure in slaughtering them as I will you."

"That may be but why not drop them and start with us instead?"

"Moll?" Lora stuttered.

"What are you doing?" Belvera asked nervously.

"Oh, don't worry, little ones. You will get your turn just as soon as I deal with them," Gudis explained as he turned his attention back to the UWP members, his head twisting back around.

"You know what I think? I think you are afraid!" Moll proclaimed. Gudis looked back at her. "Yes, you are. You are afraid of Gaia, afraid of Mothra and even us."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed it is. That is why you won't attack us first." Gudis abruptly dropped the UWP members and turned completely around as his tentacles retracted, slithering back into his sides.

"Suddenly, I'm visualizing the three of you on a skewer, turning slowly over a roasting fire like cocktail weenies," Gudis laughed. "If you are so eager to die, putrid filth of Gaia, then I shall grant your wish." Gudis began to walk toward the Elias.

"Moll, please tell me you have some kind of plan," Belvera grumbled. Gudis was standing right in front of them, looking down upon the diminutive fairies. Moll continued to hold her ground as his eyes began to glow.

"Your swords... we must combine them!" Moll hissed. The three sisters quickly unsheathed their weapons and brought them together, resulting in a discharge of energy that forced Gudis back with an angry growl. Their pendants began to glow, intensifying the energy that now surrounded them as Gudis tried to stretch his hand toward them, pushing through the barrier. The drones began to back away, cowering in fear as only their master dared to face Gaia's might.

"It is not enough!" Belvera warned. Suddenly, a torrent of terrible images flooded the sisters' minds. Horrific nightmarish sights tore at their souls and threatened to destroy their sanity. So powerful was Gudis' psionic assault that the pain it inflicted on them transcended the astral plane and became physical, causing them to cry out.

"He's... too... strong!" Lora whimpered through her agony as all three of them fell to their knees, their barrier still intact but beginning to waver as Gudis continued to push his way through. His voice echoed in their minds.

You just don't get it, do you? You're running out of time! I can feel this planet's lifeforce dying and your precious Gaia along with it! And once that comes to pass, you and your over-sized butterfly will have nothing to protect you or to stop me! Your deaths are inevitable!

It was then that he finally overpowered them as the barrier ruptured and exploded, sending the tiny avatars sliding across the floor. Instantly, Gudis was on top of them with his claws outstretched but suddenly, a katana was shoved through the back of his head by Captain Gordon. Gudis angrily spun around, back-handing him across the room to go crashing hard against the far wall of the armory. He then pulled the blade out through his mouth. Dazed, Captain Gordon looked up just in time to dodge a fist that punched through the wall. He heaved back and clocked the monster with a punch of his own. It didn't even faze him and the Gudis thrust his other hand out and around the gallant officer's neck, preparing to crush his windpipe.

When the Elias came to their senses, Moll gasped when she saw what was about to happen. "MOTHRA!" she screamed to the heavens, still holding the combined sword. Her sisters leapt up to help her hang onto it. Still miles away and in mid-transit from where the Xians had teleported her, Queen Mothra heard the telepathic cry and added her power to theirs. With a mighty blinding flash, the Elias Seal materialized in front of her tiny avatars, surging into the room like a fireball and striking Gudis hard. He dropped Gordon as he was sent smashing through the armory wall and into the next room. The Seal then grew and expanded, its glow intensifying until the monster could no longer look at it. A flowing torrent of energy raced forth, encompassing and consuming the entire structure, eradicating any trace of Gudis' virus. All of the drones, both alive and dead, melted away into nothingness as the energy dissipated and the glow finally faded. The body that Gudis himself had merged with staggered back a few steps and fell down on all fours before starting to decompose.

"You think you have won by killing a mere drone?" Gudis hissed as he forced himself up into a sitting position, his physical form crumbling about him. "How many times do I have to tell you I cannot die? I always come back! I always rise from the ashes and a time will come when you will beg for death and be denied it and I shall delight in your torment, showing you suffering the likes of which you have never known! Races billions of years old across the vastness of time and space who dreamt of my destruction are now dust in my hands! I was there in the beginning and shall be there at the end when all is dead and gone, nothing but a forgotten footnote in the history of creation. There I shall still be, reigning supreme over all that is! I am the alpha, the omega. I AM GUDIS!" he howled defiantly as everyone looked on.

"That's nice... Now shut up!" King Hector scowled as he swung his sword, beheading the drone as the remains of its body fell over, turning to dust that scattered across the floor.

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In the Philippines, Gudis shook his head with a disgruntled sigh but it was just as well. He could be patient. Soon, all would wallow in misery before him.

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"Did you plan that all along?" Lora asked, flabbergasted.

"Kind of. Sort of..." Moll mused.

"Kinda, sorta?" Belvera questioned.

"I was trying to keep my mind blank so the Gudis would not realize what I was going to do," she tried to explain.

"Don't you think you could have let us in on your little plan?" Lora sassed her.

"I could not risk telling you on the chance that Gudis would read your minds and learn the truth. If that would have happened, this would not have worked at all. I needed the fear and worry you were feeling to be genuine, knowing that Gudis would sense it and not suspect anything," the avatar of Wisdom explained.

"That was amazing! I have never seen anything like that," Johnson declared with a look of awe on his face.

"I think there have been times that we took the three of you for granted, outside of your connection with Mothra. I can assure that will never happen again," General Aso apologized sincerely.

"Indeed! You saved our lives and we thank you," Hector affirmed with a bow.

"A sentiment that I share also, my king," Angelique agreed.

"I guess size really doesn't matter," Gordon joked.

"Weren't you afraid?" Bordu asked the brave fairy.

"Terrified," Moll admitted rather sheepishly, much to the surprise of her sisters who always viewed her as an unshakable rock of strength and fortitude. "But I learned long ago that the key to true courage is not being unafraid but facing your fear and overcoming it."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Argon concurred.

"Here, take this! It is obvious that I should not be the one wearing it," Belvera grinned in a joking mix of frustration and admiration as she whipped off her Pendant of Courage and handed it to Moll who smiled at her sister's rare levity.

"Is Gudis dead?" the Mu Emperor asked worriedly.

"No, I am afraid not. In the end, he was not mistaken. What we destroyed was merely a drone," Moll confirmed with a sad frown.

"Just a drone had that kind of power? How are we supposed to kill him?" Aso lamented with an aggravated huff.

"Unfortunately, General, that question has been asked a thousand times over for the past 11 billion years during the Gudis' lifetime. No one has found the answer yet," Moll explained.

King Hector shook his head in disbelief before speaking. "What is the creature's reason for being? What purpose does he serve if any? With other invaders, there are at least some kind of motivations. The need to find a new home, personal vendettas, conquest. But Gudis seems to live only to kill and destroy; to spread death and misery without logic or meaning..."

"For Gudis, there is no purpose, no logic. He is madness and chaos personified," Lora responded. "And as old as the stars themselves. Perhaps that is why he is the way he is. To be that ancient and powerful... power that no one lifeform alone should ever possess."

"You're saying he went nuts, mad with power?" Captain Gordon asked.

"It is just one theory. One of many, I'm sure," Moll assured him.

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Johnson added.

"Okay... This has all been quite educational but what I want to know is how do we kill him?" Aso grunted.

"Perhaps killing him is not the point. Maybe he is not here to be killed, just beaten back and fought." Argon tried to philosophize and attempt a deeper understanding of the horrid being's existence.

"Gudis is the closest thing to pure evil in this plane of existence. Evil in its truest form can never be completely destroyed. That is why there is a balance. Without evil, there can be no good. No light without dark, no love without hate. They are two sides of the same coin," stated Belvera.

"But as long as we all live, we shall continue fighting. Only through facing such evil can any of us ever discover our own inner strength. Even if we all die, there will always be others to carry on the fight, no matter the odds, no matter the cost," Lora proclaimed proudly.

"And fight we shall continue to do, for this war is far from over," Queen Fimetreous declared as everyone in the room nodded their agreement.

_GOTENGO_

Mothra was flying at top speed, having just crossed the Canadian/U.S. border when she suddenly began to feel faint. Her vision grew hazy and she found it difficult to maintain her trajectory, bobbing and wavering from side to side. She realized immediately what was happening. The Earth goddess had pushed herself to her limits, expending vast amounts of energy both physical, psionic and mystical during the brutal battles since her transformation and it had taken its toll. Now, it was catching up to her.

"N-no... can not give up now... Too much depends on..." She started to say as she began rapidly losing altitude. When she crashed down, her body gored a trench through the earth before finally coming to a stop. The deep sleep of exhaustion overcame her at last. Back in Japan, the Elias suddenly looked ill as they immediately sensed what had befallen their guardian.

"What is wrong?" Angelique asked, voicing the concern of everyone present.

"Mothra... She has fallen," Moll replied regretfully.

"What do you mean... fallen?" Bordu asked.

"She is exhausted. Her struggles against the Gudis and all the various other monsters and alien invaders have spent her great energy."

"What does that mean?" General Aso wondered.

"She is in a deep slumber now. When she has recuperated, she will awaken once more," Lora continued. "We are not sure when but it will be as long as it takes."

With no other option available to them, the GOTENGO was ordered to scramble immediately. Captain Gordon was one of the last to board as Commander Argon came rushing toward him.

"Captain!" he yelled from the other end of the great ship. Gordon stopped and turned to face him. "I just wanted to speak with you before you took off," Argon explained, almost out of breath.

"How badly damaged are Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus?" the Captain asked.

"They are still enroute here but we believe that they are both salvageable."

"That's good," Gordon said with an awkward nod.

"You do know what kind of odds you are up against?" Argon asked.

"...Yes... I do, Commander." The alien looked closely at the concern on the brave human's face.

"Does your crew?"

"They knew the risks the day they signed on for this job." A long moment of silence passed between the two battle-hardened soldiers until Argon extended his right hand. Gordon offered his own and they shook. No further words were needed as they both knew what lay ahead. Captain Gordon strode up the ramp of his ship but stopped and turned as he slowly closed the hatch. He nodded to the Commander who returned the gesture. Soon, the GOTENGO's engines roared to life and it was up and away from its berth, possibly for the last time.

"The brave are always the first to die," Argon muttered under his breath forlornly as he closed his eyes and hung his head.

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Outside a small suburban Virginia town, the GOTENGO hovered on standby as residents were being evacuated as fast as humanly possible. On board the great ship, the tension was nerve-wracking. Captain Gordon suddenly got up from his command chair to address his crew.

"I know what you're all thinking," he finally began as he paced around the bridge. "You're afraid. And I'm here to tell you that it's okay to feel that way, considering what we're facing. How are you supposed to feel, knowing that the combined might of Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus was not enough to put this threat down?

"This is supposed to be the part where I tell you that everything is going to be all right and that we will all pull through, persevere, overcome the odds and go home to our families and such. But I can't say those things. I can't make any promises like that. We could all very well die right here, and in just a few minutes. But if we do die, we will do so fighting for the freedom of the entire human race! Like the late and noble King Antonio of Seatopia and his son, Prince Hector, once said, 'Better to die on our feet than to live on our knees' and that could not be more true.

"We will give our lives if need be before ever bowing to the tyranny of any invader, as God is my witness! No matter what happens, I want you all to remember one thing: You are without a shadow of a doubt the finest crew that I have ever served with and I could not be more proud of each and every one of you. If it is our destiny to die here and now, I am more than ready and have no regrets." He felt a tremendous sense of pride when he sat back down in his command chair.

"Now prepare for battle!" he crisply ordered as the GOTENGO's weapons systems were armed and readied for action. A few moments later, Kong appeared over the horizon. When he spotted the airship, his eyes narrowed at the prospect of a new challenge and he beat his chest with a mighty roar. A seemingly endless swarm of MOGERAs soon joined him, moving across the land and flying overhead.

"Open fire!" Captain Gordon commanded. The great ship's laser cannons and missiles released everything they had as the MOGERAs fired a relentless torrent of beams and rockets. The Mysterian mechs were cut down in droves but for every one that fell, more continued to arrive. Kong used his speed and agility to dodge the weapons directed at him.

"Where is Kong?" Gordon shouted when the great beast changed position.

"Circling around to our left, sir."

"We don't want him getting anywhere near the ship with those electrical arms of his. Have the special warheads been loaded?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then target Kong and open fire immediately." A series of homing missiles quickly zeroed in on him. He tried to get out of their way while firing bolts of electricity to detonate some of them but others automatically exploded when they got within their pre-set range. When they did, the gigantic primate was showered in a strange red mist that carried a vaguely familiar scent. Suddenly, it hit him: Farou Island berries! He tried to lumber away but the narcotic quickly took effect. Kong felt himself growing weak and drowsy.

"We got him, sir!"

"Turn and open fire with the primary maser beam" the Captain ordered. The GOTENGO swung about while still taking heavy fire from the MOGERAs and unloaded with its drill beam since the hindered Kong could not move fast enough to dodge it. He did manage to get his arms crossed in front of himself as it hit him hard and pinned him back against the side of a mountain.

"His alloy arms are protecting him from the maser, sir."

"Hit the mountain over top of him with a missile salvo. Now!" The rockets struck their intended target and tons of rock suddenly rained down on Kong from above, burying him.

"Alright! Hit the entire mess with the Freeze Maser. Now!" Gordon yelled. But as the beam discharged, one of the MOGERAs slammed hard into the side of the ship, causing it to veer off target, instead freezing an entire section of the suburb they were supposed to be protecting. Gordon looked on in disbelief and hoped that all the citizens had been evacuated by now. As if that wasn't bad enough, other MOGERAs were now adopting the battering ram method of attack and plowing into the ship by the dozens.

"Gyro stabilizers are being pushed to the limit, sir. We are dangerously close to crashing!"

"Ignite starboard engines for a 360 degree turn at maximum velocity and give me a constant rotation with all the speed you can. And keep firing everything that we have!" The GOTENGO went into a spin, smacking into the MOGERAs and sending them flying and crashing in all directions. Countless beams and missiles found even more targets.

There was a sudden rumbling coming from the direction of the caved-in mountain as a now fully-awake and angry Kong exploded forth from his rocky tomb. He had used massive amounts of voltage from his gauntlets to pump himself full of electricity, adrenalizing to such a degree that he had burned the drug completely out of his system. With this also came a temporary, freakish increase in his strength as he grabbed a boulder five times his size and hurled it at the GOTENGO.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Gordon stammered as the ship made a hard left to dodge the huge rock. But while dealing with that distraction, Kong had leapt up into the air and at the apex of his jump, released an incredible ball of energy that the ship could not possibly dodge in time. It struck hard, sending massive power surges through all onboard systems. Sparks and explosions erupted on the command bridge where several officers were suddenly engulfed in flames. Others caught shrapnel that seemed to be flying everywhere. Gordon himself was struck by a fragment across his face and knocked from his post. Coming back down, Kong clasped his metallic fists together and brought them down in a tremendous double axe-handle smash on top of the ship, sending it crashing down with a horrendous impact. The MOGERAs resumed their barrage as more beams and rockets pelted the GOTENGO's hull.

"Damage report," Gordon scowled, climbing back into his seat, his face drenched in blood. He ripped a piece of metal from his lacerated cheek.

"Severe, sir. Everything is off line."

"Activate auxiliary power and get us the Hell outta here! Activate the drill and take us underground at once!" The engines sputtered to life as did the drill, taking the ship down deep into the ground and for the moment, out of the line of fire. It soon resurfaced a short distance away and unloaded with its Freeze Maser, trapping several of the MOGERAs on land and picking more out of the sky that came crashing down. Kong tried to dodge the beam but got his arm frozen against a tree-covered hillside.

"Now, while he's trapped! Fire again!" Gordon ordered. But at the last second, Kong wrenched his arm free. Rocks, trees and dirt went flying as he bounded up and over the beam to land on the GOTENGO. As the ship swerved and spiraled out of control due to his added weight, he proceeded to pound and rip at the hull.

"He's tearing us apart with his bare hands!" the Tactical Officer screamed as the top of the command bridge caved in. The crew's screams could be heard over the sound of rending metal.

"Brace for impact!" When the ship came down, grinding to a halt on the ground, Kong grabbed hold of it and heaved it up over his head. He then launched it like a javelin, directly into the same mountain that he had been buried under. The great war machine became lodged halfway into the uplift. Kong then stretched out his hand, shooting off an electro-magnetic pulse to shut the GOTENGO down completely. He threw out a few more lightning bolts at the mountain, sending rocks and rubble down to bury the remains.

Stupid humans! Kong thought to himself with contempt. The MOGERAs that had been frozen were freed by their mechanical brethren and the invasion force was ready to proceed to its next destination.

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It was hours after the Directive's army had moved on before a heavy rescue crew arrived to attempt digging the GOTENGO out of the mountainside. When they finally managed to cut into the mangled ship, the team was confronted by a startling sight. Standing before them, drenched in blood, was Captain Gordon, holding a female officer in his arms. He handed her off to the medics who quickly placed her on a stretcher.

"My God! He's still alive!" one of them whispered in shock.

"And so is she!" a second exclaimed as he checked the woman's pulse.

"Captain, are there any other survivors?" another asked as the rest of the squad prepared to enter the ship. The Captain put his hand up against the entrance, barring their way as he slowly shook his head, trying to resist any show of emotion on his part. A few seconds later, Gordon collapsed and the medics quickly surrounded him.

"He's suffered massive blood loss!" An EMT frantically tried to stop any further bleeding but as they worked on him, they noticed a smile come across his face.

"I'm coming home, Nanbara... I'm... coming... home..." he whispered as his eyes slowly closed and his head nodded off to one side.

"Captain? Captain! Stay with us!" But it was no use as Douglas Gordon also gave his life in service to his country and the world itself.

Word swiftly spread of the fate of the GOTENGO and its valiant crew. The United World Powers members were especially saddened that yet another comrade had fallen in battle. Even as they bowed their heads in a moment of silence for those lost, the situation only became grimmer. At this rate, the Space Force Directive's advance, spearheaded by Kong and the MOGERAs, seemed unstoppable. If the Alliance had not been worried before, they certainly were now as it appeared that nothing on Earth could stop this menace.

_The Big Apple_

Under direction from the North Pole base, the Kong unit of the Mysterian contingency headed for the mecca of American business, New York City. Here, the biggest dome yet was planned to cover the entire half of Manhattan Island that the city occupied.

The American military had anticipated this target and on the morning that the ape and his robot minions entered the city, tanks, jet aircraft and battleships offshore were ready and waiting. Large numbers of people were still trapped in the city because of traffic-jammed roads and not enough boats to carry them off the island. When the Kong unit passed through the strip of land connecting Manhattan to the rest of New York, citizens turned and fled north as fast as possible. As they had before, the MOGERAs made mincemeat out of the jets and aircraft but the battleships served as a slight annoyance. Three of the seafaring war machines were following Kong through the city with missiles and cannon fire. To the ape, it was like playing dodge ball. Over time, the ships did more damage to the buildings on shore than to the giant simian. Kong soon became bored of the game and ordered a few MOGERAs to blow the ships out of the water with their rockets.

New York was any destructive kaiju's paradise with its millions of screaming citizens and skyscrapers just begging to be torn down to their foundations. Kong saved the larger buildings for himself while the robots took out the various bridges and smaller structures. The simian king ran through building after building like a quarterback when not fighting the annoying humans. Other times, he would create a domino effect with the towering structures, toppling one and watching the others fall in succession.

Another joy was the United Nations Building. The many politicians and representatives had long since left the area in their private helicopters. It was truly a sad sight to see the symbol of the world's continuing struggle to unite itself standing desolate and empty. Kong realized what the building's purpose was from the many flags in a semi-circle before it. Of course, there was no need to leave it standing now. Soon, all would be united in their worship of King Kong. One giant ball of electricity took care of the human edifice. This was all fun and games but what he really wanted was to see the Empire State Building turned to rubble. After zapping pedestrians along Broadway, he approached the staple of American engineering, salivating in anticipation.

He dug his hands into the side of the skyscraper and began his ascent to the heavens. In no time, jet fighters were attempting to shoot the mighty ape down like so many years before but he made quick work of them. Nearly half way up, Kong peered into an office with people still in it. When his gargantuan yellow pupils filled their view from the windows, they screamed and ran for the doors, horrified.

"Well, hello in there." Kong said in kaiju-speak before taking a bite right out of the building and spitting the chunks of steel and glass to the ground far below. He continued upwards, reaching the top in less than a minute. From his towering perch, Kong peered over the destruction of the Big Apple that was in progress. He moved around the top as if looking for something and then yawned.

"I really don't see what all the fuss is about... ", he grunted. "I mean, it's a good view but it's highly over-rated. It does beat the Tokyo capital building... " With that observation, Kong lashed out two thick electrical whips which wrapped around the Empire State Building all the way to the ground. With a tremendous jerk, the tendrils sliced through the entire structure, raining hapless humans and debris by the ton to the streets below. So he wouldn't splatter all over the pavement himself, Kong fell head first with his hands outstretched in front of him and fired two constant electrical beams at the ground. His speed rapidly diminished until the energy kept him hovering fifty feet above the ground. He did a flip in the air and landed on his feet.

There was already tremendous smoke and wreckage but bringing the Empire State down had caused half of the metropolis to be covered in it. It was a few hours later before the smoke cleared and a dome raised up from the ground. The Kong contingent had long since finished its job, leaving the rest for the grunt units. After taking out the few remaining states above New York, it met up with the other half of the Mysterian/Viran army. The combined force headed south, flattening anything that remained on its way to its final destination: the nation's capital.

_Washington, D.C._

The Space Force Directive had managed to regroup after their defeats at the hands of the United World Powers. Ken'trus dispatched the remainder of his fleet from the Xian mothership to carry on from South Dakota where his first wave had been destroyed. The ALPHA, BETA and GAMMA had also been salvaged and reconnected to the mothership that hovered over the city amidst a cloud of small alien fighter craft. Likewise, C'seris, aboard the AZAG-THOTH, and the surviving Viran and Mysterian craft from Pennsylvania had followed the seemingly invincible Kong Unit on its march to Washington.

The Directive kept its word and killed and/or destroyed everything they came in contact with along the way. What remained of the nation's military had been joined together for a last stand. As had been predicted, the two fronts met outside the capital. For the invaders, it was merely playing cat and mouse with the enemy, the last little bit of fun before the game was over. They could annihilate the entire infantry in minutes but instead, they, and mostly King Koban, wanted to give the United States one final chance to bow down before their new masters.

"Sir!" yelled a soldier to the President. "Our forces are being pushed back another hundred yards!"

"Tell them to keep fighting to the last man. If they can't stop the aliens, they'll take D.C.!" By now, all orders came directly from the President at the White House. Every general who set foot on the battlefield had been killed.

"Sir," stammered the soldier. "They're already here..." He pointed to the window of the Oval Office before turning and running screaming from the room and the White House. What was outside made the President stumble backwards until the wall stopped him. There they were, the leaders of the Space Force Directive, smiling at him from the other side of the glass. Behind them stood a handful of troops from their respective armies.

"Shall we talk?" smirked Koban.

"OPEN FIRE!" yelled a voice from the roof. Black-suited Secret Service agents appeared with SMGs and shot into the gathering of extra-terrestrials but the invaders quickly retaliated with their own superior weapons. One agent aimed directly at the three leaders and unleashed a clip on full-auto. Ken'trus' hand shot up and he used his Kaiser powers to stop the bullets in mid-air. With a flick of his wrist, the agents were knocked from the roof to come crashing down on the front lawn. He blew on his hand as if it were a gun barrel and chuckled at the President and his staff's shocked reactions. Never once did the three alien leaders take their eyes off of the man.

"Mister President," Koban finally addressed him in a gentlemanly manner. "We have traveled thousands of miles across your country and beaten you every step of the way in our conquest of it. Now, all that separates us from you is a piece of glass not even an inch thick. What is it going to be, Mister President? Shall my friends and I come through this glass by force or will you let us in?"

"Around three-fourths of our forces are gone! What should we do, sir?" screamed a voice over his military radio. The President frantically looked around the room at his cabinet, the aliens outside the window and then at the radio on his desk where the voice pleaded for back-up amidst explosions and screams. All eyes were on him and it seemed like the entire world was watching him also.

"What is it going to be?" Koban asked again, this time tapping his wrist as if he wore a watch and was going to be late. The President glanced back to the waiting aliens and with a sigh, keyed the TALK button.

"Tell our troops to fall back and cease fire. Allow the Directive clear passage."

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The negotiations, if you could call them that, which took place in the Oval Office between the President, Koban, C'seris and Ken'trus lasted approximately one hour, 34 minutes and 16 seconds. As had been the case throughout much of the American siege, King Koban did most of the talking. The leader of the Free World had no say, merely sitting back as the red-suited tyrant walked back and forth in front of a hologram of what was once the United States of America.

It illustrated how the U.S. would be divided up to suit the invaders' needs. Any surviving humans would be rounded up and schooled in Mysterian, Xian and Viran technologies so they could build the aliens' massive new cities. Others would be used for sustenance for the Xians and females would become mates for the Mysterians. They were to no longer be considered citizens of a country but slaves, servants and pets. Any who fought against their caste would be eliminated. Their necessities would be limited to clothing, food, water and shelter - nothing more. They would be allowed to procreate for the sole purpose of providing more generations to do their alien masters' bidding.

Their lives would now revolve around the will of the Directive. When the human population was once again large enough to suit their needs, the sick and elderly would be eliminated. There was no need to deter Directive progress on account of them. For now, they would be tended to with the least possible effort and resources necessary.

Surviving military were to assist in the capture of the rampant Black Scorpions under Directive command for transport to other countries scheduled for takeover. Of course, the United States Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines wouldn't be able to do the job as well as the invaders' forces alone but it would exhaust these resources to preclude the possibility of a revolt. The military would also be used to raze the remaining cities to bare earth to make way for alien habitations.

The President gave in to all of these demands. In reality, there was no way that he couldn't. A document was prepared which detailed the Directive's plans and the President's agreement to them, as well as handing over the United States of America to the Space Force Directive. Such measures weren't necessary but the aliens, in their complete arrogance, wanted to make the fall of Earth's greatest nation official.

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The combined armies of the three alien races had waited patiently just inside the perimeter that had been established around Washington while the negotiations took place. Seeing as he had no further orders to carry out, Kong lay down amongst the wreckage and took a nap. There were no worries now. His followers had everything under control.

When the call came for the army to march into the city proper, none of the Mysterian soldiers volunteered to wake the slumbering giant so a MOGERA was ordered to do the job. One of the robots broke out of formation and walked over to Kong and blasted its battle cry into the ape's ear. He jolted awake and slapped his hands through the robot's head before realizing what he was doing. With a shrug, he rose, stretched, yawned and looked toward D.C.

What a pity all those beautiful landmarks were to be left untouched. So be it... There were other monuments in the world waiting to be pummeled back into the earth

Local news stations received word within minutes of the 'negotiations' being completed and that the aliens had no plans to destroy the city. They were ordered to notify the residents to report to the front gates of the White House because the President was about to address the nation.

For the first time since the attacks had begun, people had hope. They prayed that their President had made peace with the invaders. Could it actually be possible that he had persuaded them to leave? The answers to their many questions would soon be revealed.

The gathering crowds were fearful as they approached the White House. Completely encircling the area around the historic mansion were gleaming hordes of MOGERAs. Various alien ships hovered in the sky and hundreds of Mysterian, Xian and Viran soldiers stood in formation on the front lawn. Behind the White House was Kong, gleefully eying the beautiful structure. He was most eager to smash it with his bare hands. For entertainment, he would grunt at the crowd and chuckle when they flinched.

A long red carpet stretched from the doors of the White House, across the lawn and through a section of fence that had been cut out. It then divided to split the crowd in half. Along all sides stood armed Mysterian guards. Everyone's gaze shifted when the President and his cabinet finally came through the doors and walked to a podium set up for the occasion. The many humans watched the proceedings on two big video screens situated outside the fence. This historic occasion was also being broadcast live around the world as the aliens once more hacked into the planet's radio and television systems.

"People of this great nation," began the President. "I have met with the leaders of the Space Force Directive and we have reached an understanding. My cabinet and I have decided... to give in to their demands." A large gasp went up from the crowd. "It is my esteemed pleasure -" He stopped for a second before being able to continue, not believing what he was about to say. Why were they making him do this? Then he decided it would be better to just get it over with. "It is my esteemed pleasure to present to you the new leaders of this country: Lord Koban of the Mysterians, Controller Ken'trus of the Xians and Master C'seris of the Virans."

Three large objects floated down from the sky toward the end of the red carpet. One was the titanic Xian mothership, another the bumblebee-like AZAG-THOTH and the third, a shimmering gold plated MOGERA. From their respective war craft, the aliens emerged.

King Koban proudly marched out of the foot of the robot, followed by his two companions who teleported directly behind him. The all-too-familiar image of the trio was now brought to life in front of the tense audience. Some booed and hissed as the aliens walked by while others were petrified with fear. Every guard saluted as they passed. Nobody tried to break through the line of soldiers and take a swing at the three for fear of being shot by their malicious-looking blasters except a little girl who squeezed through and stopped the aliens right in their tracks.

"Mommy says you are bad men," she said with a pouting face. "Why do you hurt us? Why can't you be our friends?" Koban gave a small malevolent laugh behind his mask and kneeled down so that he was looking straight into her eyes.

"Oh, come now! I'm not such a bad guy once you get to know me."

"Yes, you are! You killed Daddy. Mommy said he would come home soon from fighting the bad men but he never did." The girl began to cry.

"I will let you in on a little secret. I lost my daddy, too, when he was fighting bad men like your daddy. My daddy and all of my friends were blown right up. But I really don't feel sorry that my daddy died. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because it gave me the ability to wipe this filthy planet clean of all the wretched wastes of flesh daddies like yours! And besides, he was most likely nothing more than a primitive minded, arrogant ape like you." Koban stood back up but the girl wailed and flung herself at him, pounding his lower body with her tiny fists. The Lord of the Mysterians threw her off and unholstered his blaster. He aimed center mass and fired. A short scream burst forth before she fell over, her small body trying to bring in oxygen but the beam had gone right through her left lung. The entire city seemed to go silent.

"Cassandra!" screamed a voice from the crowd. A woman forced her way through the barricade of soldiers and took the fallen girl in her arms. "Say something to mommy! Please say something, Cassandra! Oh, God, why did it have to be her?" she screamed, her sobs filling the air. With the child still in her arms, she glared at the Mysterian king and his allies. "She was a child! She did nothing to you! Why in the name of God did you do this, you monster?"

"Let's just say that I wanted her to see her daddy again," Koban sneered. The woman turned from him and yelled out to the crowd.

"They'll get your children next! Get him! Don't let them get away with this!" Many people began to get restless, a few planning to attack as some started to shove the guards. The soldiers turned and pointed their guns at the crowd which backed off and quieted down.

"You can't get away with this!" the mother screamed at the aliens.

"Just watch me." Koban and his companions continued down the pathway. Ken'trus and C'seris said nothing, no emotion appearing on their faces as if the dead child and the sobbing mother were pieces of trash the wind had blown their way and caught their attention for a brief second.

"You, there!" Koban pointed to a guard. "Shoot that thing and get it off of my red carpet! It is a disgrace that proud Mysterian soldiers can not perform the simple task of keeping a woman and a child from getting in my way!" The guard saluted, then walked past the Directive leaders. None of them looked back as the mother pleaded and then screamed as she was shot.

When they reached the podium, the President took a seat with his cabinet members out of view of the cameras. As always, Koban was front and center to speak first while the other two aliens stood behind him, their cold stares seeming to penetrate into the audience's very souls.

"Brothers and sisters of our allied races!" Koban began. "Today is a day to rejoice! In the past, we, the Mysterians, the Xians and the Virans, have been tormented and even humiliated by humankind. Today we set the record straight! No longer will these selfish, primitive beings rule this planet! No longer will we barely survive in the cold recesses of space! Today we stand up before the humans and say this: Your mastery of this planet is near its end!" The alien soldiers burst into cheers and applause as a dome slowly began to rise up from the ground.

"You, citizens of America, are now our slaves. You will do our bidding from now on. If you refuse us, you will join your brethren who have already fallen before us! And to the other countries of the world watching and listening to me now, heed my words! None of you are exempt from this takeover! This country is merely the first step in our quest for global domination. In a few months, every country on the face of the Earth will bow before us! Anything and everything that stands in our way will be struck down by our mighty army!" The aliens in attendance roared once more in approval.

Two Mysterian soldiers ran over to the flagpole displaying the American flag and took it down. They replaced it with that of the Directive.

"I now declare that the United States of America is no more! Hence forth, this land is a territory of the Space Force Directive." The legions burst forth in thunderous applause and cheers as the humans looked on, shocked and in disbelief that their country had indeed been taken over. A great feeling of depression fell over them one and all.

Kong roared and beat his chest behind the White House. Lord Koban lifted his hand in the air as he puffed out his chest. There was no telling what power he must have felt or how much more godlike he saw himself now.

"Our poster child has outdone himself," Ken'trus chuckled to C'seris.

"He most certainly has," the tentacled creature retorted. The humans woefully watched as the walls of the huge dome cut off the last rays of sunlight. The structure was relatively small compared to others of its kind but big enough to encompass the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court and everything in between. On its side was the emblem of the Space Force Directive.

"May our children forgive us," the former President sighed. The Secretary of Defense had fared better than General Goodwin and been permitted to suffer through the formalities of the surrender. Koban saw these suit-wearing civilian officials as weak and symbolic of the nation he had just conquered. The military's leaders had been rounded up and summarily executed as there would be no further need for them.

Seated behind the podium with the rest of the cabinet, the Secretary watched the President perform the Directive's little puppet show. It was a sad day indeed for the United States of America.

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"Mushi mushi?"

"Garey? Is that you?"

"Cillian? Long time no talk, bud! How have you been?"

"I'll get to that in a minute. I just got back to the mainland. Incidentally, did you finally learn to speak Japanese?"

"Nah. I've just learned a few words here and there and finally gotten in the habit of answering the phone that way. I had another small blunder trying to order some take-out yesterday and ended up getting something that was staring back at me when I opened the box. Yeeesh!" he shuddered. "They could've at least killed it before they sent it out..."

"Gotta love the things that are lost in translation, huh?" Cillian joked.

"Oh, yeah! So what's the reason for the call? Wanna get together? We haven't seen each other since you managed to snag that job working at Monsterland. How's that going for ya, by the way?"

"Um, I quit..." Cillian admitted, somewhat embarrassed. "There are... circumstances. And it's also part of the reason for my call. I need a favor if you don't mind. A big one..."

"Okay. I'm all ears, kid. Spill it."

"What if I said that I needed to get to the States as quickly as possible?" Cillian gulped nervously.

"I'd say you were crazy. Then I'd ask when do we leave?" Garey smiled mischievously on the other end of the line.

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In the commissary, Queen Fimetreous stood looking out a panoramic window when King Hector joined her. "Am I disturbing you, your majesty?" he asked humbly before approaching closer.

"No... Not at all. Please join me," she finally said, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Thank you." He walked up next to where she was standing and they both stared outside before she broke the silence.

"How many?" she murmured.

"I am sorry, your highness?" Hector was somewhat confused and turned toward her.

"How many have to die?" she began but had to pause before continuing. "Your father, Captain Gordon, his First Officer, the people of all our races... King Seesar, Megalon, Gamera... Manda..." she finally finished, fighting to hold back the tears that threatened to push past eyes still in mourning over the death of her people's beloved god as well as her fallen allies. Hector sighed before responding.

"In war, I am afraid, casualties are... unavoidable. Truly, the greatest pain - the true hell of war - is not the fighting or the bloodshed but the loved ones we lose because of it."

"Those who have perished must be avenged," the Empress of Mu declared.

"I could not agree more," Hector concurred but even as he spoke, the words he couldn't help but ask himself flashed through his mind: WHO would avenge them? What force remained in heaven or on Earth with the power to oppose these terrible invaders?

_RETURN OF THE KING_

Normally stoic and familiar, the celestial bodies that comprise the Apollo asteroid belt occasionally pass through Earth's orbit without event or consequence. But that was no more as the nuclear missiles fired by the last Mysterian ship had seen to that. As that particular section of the belt began to slowly drift and break apart, whole and fragmented asteroids sought new paths and orbits elsewhere. Some drifted further away from the Earth while others moved closer, entering it's atmosphere.

Although there had always been a general fear and paranoia on Earth of asteroid collision, the space rocks that now moved toward the planet posed no threat. The vast majority of them were far too small to make it through the atmosphere without burning up on entry. All except one.

From within the scattering formation of Near Earth Objects (NEOs) emerged a several-hundred meter goliath which now moved toward the Earth as well. Massive in size, it was far too large to be stopped by the planet's atmosphere. If it reached the surface, it would easily level an entire city on impact.

But as luck would have it, this supposed harbinger of death was to serve an entirely different purpose this day. Embedded within was an unusual and unexpected passenger, the Nebulan rocket. And within it, Godzilla, still alive and well. The second Mysterian nuke that appeared to destroy the rocket had in fact struck another asteroid that happened to cross its path. The intense amounts of radiation released by the detonations had concealed the hindered craft from all scanning devices either human or alien, effectively camouflaging it. The giant asteroid now began to break harmlessly apart, leaving only a thin layer of space rock encasing the rocket.

The planet below snatched it from the sky and into an unstable orbit above its teeming surface. As far as the Earth was concerned, Godzilla was dead but they would soon learn otherwise.

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With a trail of fire and a final shrieking metallic protest, the great vessel re-entered the Earth's atmosphere and began its drop from the heavens, streaking towards the North American land mass. Behind it was a thick gray cloud of smoke, making it clearly visible for hundreds of miles across the eastern United States.

In Delaware, crowds of people on the highways and city streets near Lewes had massed together in response to the alien threat, trying to flee the area. Now, they directed their attention heavenward as a gigantic burning cylinder flew overhead at amazing speed, pulling itself lower toward the ground with each passing second. More surprised than afraid, they stood motionless as their gaze followed the streaking missile. It became evident all too late that it would crash into Delaware Bay.

The moment finally came when the glowing orange ball of flame fell directly into the heart of the First State's waterway to the Atlantic. With a blinding flash of light, the rocket impacted, followed by a thunderous explosion heard for miles. Every window along the coast was blown out seconds before a massive tsunami of water consumed the area. This was quickly followed by a gigantic sphere of pure blinding-white energy that swept across the landscape and reduced it to burning rubble as a great cloud of fire and smoke rose into sky.

The shockwave ripped inland at thousands of miles per hour. Buildings were shattered, highways uprooted and people and automobiles thrown into the air. Miles of the tiny state were flattened. Bits of molten metal fell from the sky as smoke and ash turned day into dusk. A fiery haze consumed everything underfoot. Up in the stratosphere, the dark mushroom cloud ascended with a quiet roar, and then, nothing. The Earth seemed to stand still in complete silence, as did all upon it.

From within the fading explosion echoing from the newly formed crater that was once a large body of water, a sudden ear-splitting sound was heard; a roar from another age that spread to every corner of the planet. Billowing toxic smoke made its way up an enormous mass and around its edges; wrapping around thick, strong legs, clawed fingers and through jagged spines. A distinct shadow began to take shape within. The few surviving beings in the area looked on at the spectacle and with hearts gripped in fear, watched as the smoke cleared and a dark figure started to materialize. With a toss of the head, its body leaned backward as the dinosaur let out another roar of dominance which commanded the respect of every living creature. Godzilla, the King of the Monsters, had returned.

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Although much of the world was aware of the rocket hurtling toward the Earth, most of the North American continent was not due to communications breakdowns caused by the extra-terrestrial invasion. But that did not mean it went unnoticed by the aliens now inhabiting the country. Within each Mysterian dome and every Xian spacecraft, it was being monitored and documented second by second.

Outside the Capitol, massive crowds of people who had witnessed the collapse of a nation were now lined up to enter the dome that loomed over the historic city. Kumonga stood quietly over several smaller buildings opposite Kong and the MOGERA legion, as if to prevent anyone from escaping the area. Inside the White House were the leaders of the Space Force Directive, each keeping to himself in thought as a handful of ex-military and political officials stood or sat about the room nervously awaiting their fate. C'seris stood in one corner of the room, giving an evil glare while Koban looked out the window at his assembled forces. Ken'trus sat at the President's desk behind him, toying with a paperweight.

The Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security were tensely sitting against the wall with the rest of the White House staff when they felt the building shake, as if from a sonic boom. They glanced at each other, hoping this would be their opportunity to make their move. It had been several days since the Directive had taken the capital city, along with the rest of the nation. Most of the alien military had amassed here, as if on R and R.

The President and his cabinet were brought to the White House each morning for 'decoration' and not much else. It seemed that the Xian and Viran leaders were getting weary of Koban's posturing, more reason for the two Advocates to be alert for whatever opportunities might present themselves.

The two had been watching the Directive run their former country, or ruining it as far as the Advocates were concerned. There had been no chance for them to attempt an escape with so many aliens present. The best interests of their former nation were rapidly evaporating with each hour these entities remained in power. If their new masters were distracted, they wouldn't be paying much attention to a few humans trying to save their homeland.

The Secretary of Defense nodded to his counterpart who looked at his watch and pressed a button on it. This was actually a sophisticated communications device that each of the Advocates wore. Via Morse code and various tone signals, they were able to secretly contact each other and pass short messages. This particular signal went to Grovers Mill and set their ultimate defense plan in motion.

Iodrakas suddenly spun around and scanned the humans seated against the wall. A high frequency tone had come from the skinny bearded one who had something to do with security. The cyborg quickly removed the offending time piece, his optics flashing as he analyzed the situation. Determining the nature of the device, the Viran laid it on the President's desk, behind which Koban was now seated.

The President could only wonder what this was all about but Iodrakas assured the alien leaders that he was sincere in his unawareness of the instrument, saving him from the wrath of Koban. As for the Secretary of Homeland Security, Koban simply drew his blaster and shot him. With his dying breath, the Advocate called the President over.

"You... were disillusioned about... saving this country..." With yet another of his staff dead, the President's resolve did not weaken, for he did not realize what the man was truly saying.

"So you finally did it," Ken'trus said, turning the glass pyramid he had been fiddling with in different directions. "You finally carried out a successful attack on mankind. You must be very proud of yourself."

"I am."

"You mean WE carried out a successful campaign against the humans," corrected C'seris with a sneer.

"Yes, of course we did," the Xian replied as he began to laugh to himself with glee. Koban turned his head for a second to acknowledge his sudden humor but resumed looking out upon the Washington landscape where a twinkling light in the sky had caught his attention. Confused at first, he shifted his focus and ever so calmly watched as the falling star swiftly flew downward and passed out of view. A yellow-clad Mysterian officer opened the door and hurried to the center of the room. With a quick salute, he delivered his message.

"My Lords. Our intelligence reports a meteorite heading for Earth. It is expected to land near our current position!" With that, the White House shook and trembled from a violent shock wave, startling the human officials but the three Directive leaders just looked about inquisitively.

"Are you certain of the report, Lieutenant?" Koban mocked.

"Crap," Ken'trus muttered. He and his staff stood in a circle, listening to a Xian officer give his report on the matter. "So what do you want to do now, your Excellency?" he demanded sarcastically, as if this was all Koban's fault. While the Mysterian king appeared to not be paying any attention, Master C'seris was quivering with anxiety. Koban took an optimistic view of this new development, seeing it almost as a business opportunity.

"This could actually be a good thing. Godzilla is weak and dazed from his experience. Now is the time for decisive action."

"What are you suggesting?" the alien squid wondered out loud.

"We will attack and kill him and show the entire world once and for all who the real super power is. No one will ever dare to question us again!"

"And just how do you plan on killing it, your Lordship?" Ken'trus smirked. With a gleam in his eye, Koban smiled as an ingenious thought came to him.

"With Kong."

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Orders were given to send the great ape to the capsule's crash site. It was reasoned that it would be easier for him to wade up the Delaware River instead of taking the longer route on land. With him would be two Mysterian ships to record the fight. As they had done many times before, the Mysterians jammed all broadcasts and Lord Koban's visage appeared on television screens worldwide.

Behind him stood Ken'trus and C'seris. In the very back of the picture were the members of the United States Senate, House of Representatives, the President and his cabinet. Koban had ordered his soldiers to round them up and take them to the Capitol to watch the spectacle that was about to unfold. Having succeeded in the takeover of Earth's most powerful nation, his ego knew no bounds.

"Greetings once more, people of Earth," he began. "As you have recently been informed, we, the Space Force Directive, are now the rulers of the former United States of America. It goes without saying that America is only the first stop on our way to total domination. Now, I will show you our true power!

"I have been informed that a capsule containing none other than the legendary Godzilla has crash-landed in the state formerly known as Delaware. Then, an idea struck me: Why not use my greatest weapon against the Earth's greatest weapon?" The screen showed Kong wading through the waters of the Delaware River. "And why not let YOU watch the most powerful creature in existence die at the hands of MY most ingenious creation ever?

"People of Earth, I give you KING KONG VERSUS GODZILLA!" The picture changed to the Delaware shoreline where an immense mushroom cloud hung over the area. A gasp went up worldwide. In a matter of minutes, the biggest threat to humanity had now become its only protector.


	17. Showdown

Kong arrived at the coast in no time. With the water being 40 meters at its deepest, he could easily wade right through it. Back on land, he glanced around, shook the water out of his fur and made his way along the devastated beach. Godzilla had climbed out of the bay and followed the shoreline towards the river. His instincts told him that if he went west, he would get to Japan.

The great saurian's clawed toes had nearly touched the water when a booming noise - a roar - cried out behind him. He stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes widened at the sound. That roar was unmistakable! How could it not be? It had been echoing through his dreams for ages and represented years of sorrow, fear and above all, hate. He had fought many creatures in his time but in the end, they were just an opponent to be defeated.

Never had such a beast as that roar's owner ever caused him to feel such deep, undying hatred. That was what set this creature apart from the rest. It had stolen his innocence, shattered his being and brought all the horrors of the world crashing down on him at once. He may have been able to suppress it, to keep it out of his conscious mind but that didn't mean that every aspect of that hatred wasn't lodged in his deepest inner workings.

One could say that it made him who he was. It had introduced him to reality and at times, it WAS reality. However, in a way, he owed this beast thanks for it had broken him and shown him that even after his transformation, he could still be defeated. But that was all he owed this monster that kept his soul in such angry turmoil.

"My friend!" called Kong in kaiju-speak. "It has been far too long!" Godzilla didn't turn around. "Of course, considering the last gap between our meetings, it has barely been the blink of an eye." There was still silence. "Oh, come now! Is this any way to treat an old buddy? I was worried that I had killed you but, yet again, you surprise me. Turn around so I can get a good look at you. Don't tell me you're... frightened of me?"

Godzilla whipped around and stared straight into his eyes. The ape smiled. "Yes, just as I remembered you. So naive, so cocky. So ready to lash out without thinking. I can see it in your face, by the way you stand. You are going to attack me any second now -"

Godzilla's dorsal spines crackled with blue and an atomic ray blasted from his maw. Kong quickly shielded himself with his metallic arms. Godzilla stopped firing, half out of surprise at the ape's new armor and half by controlling his anger.

"Even after all these years, you're still so predictable!"

"Why don't you drop the formalities and just fight me?" Godzilla roared. "You hate me and I hate you so let's finish what we started!"

"On the contrary, my friend. I have not come to battle you. That is the least of my priorities. I wish for your friendship."

"Wha - what?" was all that Godzilla could stammer out. He couldn't believe his ears! This had to be a ploy on the ape's part he thought. It couldn't be real. He must be toying with me. Right?

"Yes, my comrade. Think of it! Think of the terror we could evoke in the minds of those billions scurrying across this planet's surface. Never before have I encountered such an impressive foe as you, Godzilla, nor will I ever again. I left our battles with a sense of power, of majesty from my foe. And though, at times you were quick to attack and instinctive, the sheer power that I felt when I was in your presence astounded me.

"We are equals. Brothers of the Cosmos. We have far exceeded the expectations of our creators. Think of it, Godzilla! Think of how we could rip this world to shreds. Think of all the legions that will bow before us, pleading for mercy! Our names will be etched in time itself. Civilizations will fear the mere mention of them! We are GODS!

"Have you not noticed my new armor? More proof of how, even through the voids of space, creatures have come to pay homage to me. They told me they wish to be your servants as well and that they wanted for you to join with me. My minions have offered me a gift over the lightning. Think of all they could do for you." He stretched out a hand to the dinosaur. Then, in a voice that couldn't have been softer, more inviting or non-threatening, the ape said, "Join me... my brother.

Godzilla hadn't moved an inch since that last word. Despite how much he tried to hide it, he couldn't help but drop further as the ape went on. He wasn't lying. Kong was asking for friendship

The tableau probably went on for minutes; Kong, standing there with an outstretched arm and Godzilla leaning back with his mouth agape. However, reason was slowly creeping through his fog of confusion like a flashlight. Godzilla shook his head and a look of revulsion came over his face. Kong noticed as his arm and face dropped slightly.

"HOW DARE YOU!" roared Godzilla. "You dare to come to me as if we were old buddies and offer me friendship. Have you forgotten everything that has passed between us? The things you have done to me? You helped in the killing of my species and you HUMILIATED ME! Imbecile! Of course I will not have anything to do with your fool's pursuit of domination!

"And you seriously believe that these creatures from space have traveled all this way just to bow before you? Can you not see that the so-called 'gifts' they offer you are nothing more than chains for your enslavement -"

"ENOUGH!" thundered Kong. "So you decline my offer?"

"Yes, I do."

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Koban had rushed out of the Capitol Rotunda to a communications post that soon had an image of General Kugo on it. The Mysterian King was fuming with anger and made this call privately so that the humans wouldn't see his distress.

"What is the problem?" he demanded. "Why hasn't it attacked yet? It had the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack! What is going on out there? Has it malfunctioned?"

"My Lord," replied Kugo. "As odd as this sounds, it appears the two kaiju are conversing with one another."

"What? You ordered it to have a chat with Godzilla instead of killing it? When I get back to the North Pole base, your -"

"Sire, it is doing this of its own free will."

"Get it to attack the thing before Kong decides to change his mind about who his real master is!"

"We are trying, my Lord."

"If something happens to Kong because of your bumbling, I will have your head, Kugo!" Koban stormed from the communications center and back to the main part of the Capitol, being sure to hide his anxiety before he met anyone.

"Sir," a young Mysterian said to Kugo. "It appears that Project Kong has failed in whatever it was trying to accomplish with Godzilla by conversing."

"Very well, then," said the leader of Earth operations, rising from his seat. "This is the moment we have been waiting for. All our research, all of our work on the Kong project has led to this moment. Confirm at 2:18 and 27 seconds, the Kong program is now fully activated."

Blue- and yellow-clad Mysterians switched their controls to maximum power settings. The levels shot up to the top of their scales. Every aspect of Kong was being empowered by an infinite amount of electrical energy.

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Kong's body gave a sudden spasm, his face changing from anger to curiosity. With a quizzical look, he glanced down at his body and hands. Ignoring the sensations, he turned back to Godzilla, only to be treated with a much more violent shock that nearly knocked him off his feet. Sparks now skittered across his hands. Suddenly, they erupted with electricity and the fur stood on end all over his body. He fell to his knees, hunched over and roaring. All the while, the voltage within him was increasing. He screamed as he beat the ground with his metal fists.

What was going on within the great ape's body was far more violent than on the outside. Millions of volts of electricity flowed from the implant in his back to every vein, artery and muscle until it became like a circulatory system all its own. Any normal creature's bones would have been crushed under the extreme pressure.

The sky darkened and in the distance, thunder could be heard. The wind picked up to hurricane velocities. Godzilla shifted uneasily as he watched the events unfolding around him. Out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning knocked him face first to the ground.

Above Kong, surging storm clouds were beginning to swirl and lightning struck all around the two kaiju. In the midst of this chaos, Kong lay on the ground, screaming like an infant. The lightning began to strike faster, getting closer and closer to the mighty ape. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the bolts ceased flashing altogether and dead silence prevailed.

Kong looked up into the center of the chaos. His face was strained to an extreme degree with teeth bared like a wild animal's and his eyes were completely white. With a thundering cry, he literally called down the lightning himself.

A barrage of bolts burst forth from the cloud above, striking him again and again. It was hitting him so fast that the thunder sounded like a war was being fought. His screaming had turned to deep, dark laughter. The already enlarged muscles bulged to the point where it looked as if they would burst through the sheaths on his arms.

With every strike from the heavens, Kong's face lit up with a blue radiance. Slowly, he turned to face Godzilla, a depraved grin from one ear to the other. A hideous, guttural chuckle came from his throat. When the lightning suddenly ceased, so did the laughter and the smile.

"Nobody denies me!" Kong declared.

There was no need for a retort. Godzilla threw his head back and raised a battle cry. Then they charged, the devastated landscape echoing with the thunder of their strides. Kong leaped into the air and landed on Godzilla's back. He put his head in a headlock and pummeled it with his fist as Godzilla thrashed about and battered the ape with his tail but to no avail.

Finally, he leapt backwards, impaling his foe on his dorsal spines. Kong grabbed one stuck in his shoulder and sent a shock through it, as well as throughout the dinosaur's entire nervous system. Godzilla felt the voltage literally everywhere, his body erupting in jolts and tremors. Holding the snapped-off spine, Kong pushed the creature off of him.

The ape then went to punch his downed foe but Godzilla jumped up, caught his fist and doused his chest with atomic fire. Kong gritted his teeth and crashed his forehead against Godzilla's. Grabbing the saurian's head, he slowly began crushing it in his hands.

Godzilla retaliated with another dose of his beam at point-blank range to Kong's face. The ape flung him to the ground before covering the smarting skin with his hands. From his prone position, Godzilla shot atomic fire at his back but Kong swung around and shielded himself with his left arm. With his right, he fired a ball of electricity that struck Godzilla's lower jaw, shutting his gaping mouth which was about to launch another blast.

Now that the atomic fury had stopped, Kong unleashed a barrage of electricity but Godzilla was too fast, rolling out of the way of the bolts just before they struck him. Kong grabbed his tail as a radioactive blast shot over his head.

With the agility of an antelope, the simian sprang to his feet with Godzilla's tail in hand and began spinning in a circle. He was swung through the air faster and faster as Kong twirled him around until he gained enough momentum to hurl the kaiju away. From his hands, he created two electric tendrils: one to smack Godzilla down towards the ground and the other to send him flying toward the heavens. The great dinosaur became a virtual birdie in a colossal game of badminton.

When Kong became bored with this game, he wrapped one whip around Godzilla and jerked him towards himself. Pulled head over heels, he flew smashed into the ground mere yards from his feet. Godzilla loosed atomic fire at his toes, staring back at him.

However, Kong was nimble and jumping into the air, did a flip and brought his fists down between Godzilla's two rows of dorsal spines. The massive tail immediately shot up and coiled around him like a huge snake and slammed him into the ground. Kong freed his arms and grabbed its end, chomping down and biting the tip off. He then put his hand over the wound and charged it with electricity. Godzilla's eyes widened as he emitted a painful cry before flipping Kong into the dirt.

He uncoiled his captive but the ape held on. Godzilla then ran across the desolate landscape, slamming his clinging rival into the ground. To Kong, this was but mere entertainment as he upped the voltage. When he had enough of this tactic, Godzilla slung his tail to the front and grabbed the simian.

With his claws, he slashed away at his chest. So fast and intense was this mauling that the ape had no time to block the hand that shoved itself deep into his side. He roared in defiance and caught Godzilla's free arm, biting down on its fingers and sending electricity flowing through his saliva into the wounds he was creating.

With every chomp, Godzilla shoved his claws further into Kong's side while he blasted his neck and shoulder with atomic fire. The ape fought back with heavy blows to his face. Both of these mighty creatures were now animals with no feelings of pain from the wounds they were inflicting on each other. They had no sense of caution or strategy as there was only THE ENEMY and how much damage one could do to it. Injuries were of no importance. Godzilla wasn't aware that his skull was minutely fracturing with each blow or that his fingers were being chewed off. Nor did Kong feel the extreme atomic heat searing his flesh or the gaping wound in his side.

Godzilla wanted more, much more. He wanted to see Kong bleed. The dinosaur brought his maw to the shoulder in front of him, still shooting his beam. He firmly lodged his teeth into its meat and slung his head around, trying to rip it off.

Kong became enraged and used both hands to rip Godzilla off before hurling him away with all his might. He looked down at his now raw, furless shoulder and lightly felt the wound in his side. The metal on his fingers was covered in blood.

On the ground, Godzilla assessed his hand as well. The ape had bitten off two fingers but a sharp shock to his stomach brought him back to the battle at hand. Not only did it shock him but it felt like a laceration. Kong was slashing him with electric whips so intense that they were actually cutting into his flesh. Godzilla was like an errant slave to him but the saurian quickly bounded to his feet, preparing to fire a beam.

Kong whipped two tendrils around his legs and tugged, toppling Godzilla once again as atomic fire shot off into the distance. For a second time, he firmly clasped his enemy's tail and with a massive heave, slung all 60,000 metric tons of raging reptile it was attached to over his shoulder and into the ground. Kong turned around and repeated the maneuver again and again until he was going around in circles, bashing Godzilla into the landscape.

When he ran out of breath, Kong dropped his foe face first into the dirt, placing his foot on his neck and tightly grasping a spine below it. Before Godzilla realized what was happening, Kong gave a mighty tug, ripping the plate out of his back. The dinosaur let out a high-pitched squeal that quickly turned to a roar of fury. His eyes changed to bright red, as well as his spines.

Kong noticed none of this and flipped his foe over. He raised his arm with the spine in hand, intent on slicing open his heart. Suddenly, Godzilla fired an intense red-hued atomic ray at the limb. Kong stumbled backwards in astonishment. When the explosions stopped, he looked at the underside of his arm and discovered nothing but charred flesh. The beam had penetrated his armor as if it were tin foil. Kong tried shooting a bolt of electricity but the sheath on his right arm was now useless.

"My armor!" he cried. "My beautiful armor! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Godzilla merely smirked, his spines sparking up again with red static. Kong jumped out of the way of the blast that followed but there was no way he could shield himself from this devastating attack. Godzilla chased him around with the beam like a fox after a rabbit. The ape was now seemingly in fear after what had happened, as well as humiliated and enraged.

With lightning agility, Kong leaped over the oncoming beam and hurled himself at his hated foe. Godzilla leaned forward and when the ape landed on him, he threw him from his back. Godzilla quickly turned around and simian's head.

Just as his foe had done, Godzilla raised the dagger-like spine above his head. This time, the blow wasn't intercepted and it went deep into Kong's right eye. He bellowed in pain and horror before kicking Godzilla off him and staggering to his feet. With a shaking hand, he pulled the end of the spine carefully out of his eye socket. When it was free, he pitched it into the distance and slapped a hand over the injury, whining in pain.

Godzilla merely chuckled at the broken creature before him. Kong was running around in circles and pounding his fists into the ground, shooting bursts of electricity in every direction and screaming like a spider monkey for the pain to stop. This only added to Godzilla's amusement as he bellowed in triumph.

Kong roared and suddenly charged, catching the saurian completely off guard. He was tackled to the ground and the two began to barrel-roll across the landscape, gaining momentum on the sloping shoreline. It became an all-out dogfight of clawing, biting and punching. Every few seconds, a bolt of blue-white or red energy could be seen passing between them. At times, they would bounce into the air after a severe blow before hitting the ground again.

The two titans finally halted before rolling into the water with Kong sitting on Godzilla's chest, his hands throttling the reptile's throat with his back to the water. His thumbs were crushing down on his foe's trachea and both combatants were breathing heavily. Godzilla tried to shoot off a beam but the energy couldn't make it past his throat went back into his body. Saliva started to bubble from his mouth.

"With your death... " hissed Kong, "... I proclaim myself the new and permanent King of the Monsters!" What he didn't realize was that he had already sealed his own doom.

The built-up energy in Godzilla was starting a chain reaction as beams of light shone through his massive form. When the nuclear pulse blasted forth, Kong was blown away and into the air above Delaware Bay. He hit the water with a massive explosion of electricity.

Like a hair dryer in a bath tub, he fried. Kong's body jolted and spasmed when billions of volts burst out of and across him. His screams of pain, terror and anguish could be heard for miles along the coast. Bones cracked, fur flamed and blood poured out of every orifice in his body as his ultimate weapon became his own downfall.

After minutes of living hell, the electricity finally expended itself and the barely-alive ape bobbed up and down in the roiling water. His remaining eye was filled with burst capillaries and he could only make out a bright object against the horizon - the setting sun - and a large figure silhouetted in front of it: Godzilla.

"Oh, yes!" roared his conqueror. "All hail the king! Here, your majesty. Allow me to give you your crown!" The silhouette now had red light shining up and down its back. Near the head, a brighter glow appeared, then shot directly at him. It was the last image Kong ever saw.

As the atomic fire hit its target, a gigantic explosion shot water hundreds of feet into the air. When everything began to settle back down, Godzilla saw a fleeting image of a metal hand before it sank into the bay. When no bubbles appeared, he lifted his head to the heavens and released a cry of victory.

In Germany, France, Japan - around the world - everyone soon knew of the death blow to Kong and the remaining citizens of Earth raised a cheer and rejoiced. Godzilla's life-long enemy had been subdued but he had no idea that he had just destroyed a major aspect of the Mysterian's plan for the planet's conquest nor the repercussions his actions would have.

Godzilla would make his way across America to the Pacific Ocean and eventually reach Japan, his wounds regenerated by then. For now, all that concerned the undisputed King of the Monsters as he waded along the Delaware River was his journey. Not once did he look back at the body of water that had destroyed King Kong.

_Potomac Reaction_

The members of Congress, the President and his staff applauded the sight of Godzilla blasting King Kong from the face of the Earth. The Monster King no doubt would have been quite shocked to see the ex-leaders of the United States jumping out of their seats, hooting and hollering for the victorious kaiju. However, the reaction of the present regime was quite different.

Koban's jaw-dropped expression would have made them rejoice even more had he not had his helmet on. His ultimate weapon - his symbol of Mysterian might - had just been obliterated before his very eyes. He wanted Godzilla's head ripped off and set on top of a giant pole as rage filled him. The alien also wanted to draw his blaster and blow every single one of the human politicians' heads off, wishing he could somehow destroy everyone across the planet who now mocked him.

For the slightest instant, Ken'trus and C'seris did something few have ever witnessed: They allowed their emotions to show. Ken'trus' lips were slightly parted and his eyes had widened at the sight of the massive electrical explosion from Kong. C'seris' beak hung open, making him appear as if he wanted to be fed. Realizing their thoughts had been personified, they quickly exhibited the better part of discretion with no expression evident on their faces.

The Directive was still powerful, the loss of Kong only causing a dent in the Mysterian forces. Their many MOGERAs and fleet of ships could continue without the giant ape. Godzilla was the only problem that really concerned them at this point in time. With the combined forces of the Directive, it was quite possible that he could still be killed or subdued but this was not what Ken'trus was thinking about.

The defeat of Kong was a humiliation to his race but more importantly, to him. It was over and now he would do what he should have done a long time ago: He would destroy the Mysterians and the Virans and take the Earth for himself. Why he ever trusted the lunatic Koban was a mystery to him.

The Controller walked over to him, his unwavering composure regained. Ken'trus wanted to rip his head off but he would let him suffer the same embarrassment that he had and take away every bit of glory he had allowed the pompous Lord Koban.

"They are all yours," he said with a smirk before being teleported to the Xian mothership. At a loss for words, Koban eyed C'seris who shrugged and squirmed out of the Capitol to be teleported aboard his craft. There was no longer a need for this so-called alliance. The Master knew that Ken'trus would destroy the Mysterians. The Virans were not in a position to fight a war so it was best that they retreat back into space. Later, they would regroup and strike.

Dumbfounded, Koban stood alone. On the huge projection screen, Godzilla turned to acknowledge the Mysterian ships sent to record the battle with what appeared to almost be a smirk. He roared mightily before destroying them with his atomic fire. This only made the politicians rejoice even more. It was as if Godzilla was mocking him as well. He wanted to rip the creature apart limb from limb, then blast it to the four corners of the galaxy but turned to face his noisy admirers.

"QUIET!" Koban roared. "SHUT UP, THE LOT OF YOU!" He was completely ignored. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and stomped over to a blue-suited guard. Yanking his blaster from its holster, Koban deftly aimed and blew the head off of a male politician who had been one of the loudest. The chorus of praise for Godzilla instantly died down and he shoved the weapon into the surprised guard's hands.

"Round them up and take them to the prisoner of war facility. I want their rations cut to a third of what they would normally get. The faster we get them to a labor camp, the better!" Koban then stood for a moment, not knowing what else to say or do.

Strengthening his resolve, the Mysterian King stared at the former politicians. He was enjoying this very much but ordered his ship be prepared for take-off before storming out of the Capitol building.

_Monster X_

Aboard the Xian mothership in the bright red-orange control room, a dozen Xian clones sat at various terminals and consoles. Across the wall in front of them flew dotted colors signifying brainwave activity in the main computer and its connections with the monsters they had appropriated from Monsterland. One of the clones had an update.

"The siege is going as planned. Ready to initiate Project X." Ken'trus was standing behind the array of computers, admiring the various holographic projections of mass destruction across the North American continent.

"Send my son to Room 96 for hook-up." The clone nodded and pressed several buttons on his key pad to notify the Hatchery. Ken'trus spun on his heel and walked down the long, dark curving hallway lined with numbered doors, a series of flashing lights leading the way.

The Controller had awaited this moment for years. His goal would have been achieved much sooner but with Sar'rious overseeing everything, he had to execute his plans in secret and keep him from noticing them with distractions of needless inter-galactic politics. It was only after his assassination that Ken'trus could fully move ahead with his ultimate goal of domination and destruction.

After Sar'rious' death, Project X was finished within weeks. Normally, it would have taken far longer, considering that it revolved entirely around Ic'den. His son, who was born only a few years ago, would require a tremendous amount of schooling on the complex computer matrix and have to develop his telepathy with M-based DNA biological structures. To achieve this, Ic'den was engineered to grow and mature much faster than average, reaching adolescence in only a few months.

His growth had reached its limit just the other day; a biological clock told his genes to stop the speeded-up process and slow it to normal levels. He was about 18 Earth years old now, a perfect level of maturity for the duties he would be performing. The boy was kept in a special training facility within the Hatchery on Planet X but now he was aboard the mothership.

The doors to Room 96 slid open to the Controller and he entered. It was especially dark, lit only by a dim blue hue from the walls. Xians preferred darker, cooler areas due to their sensitivity to light and heat. That was why Ken'trus thought to himself we always wear these spiffy visors over our eyes Normally, they could forgo them in an appropriately lit environment, especially one as dark as Room 96.

There were minor complications in the engineering Ic'den's genes with DNA taken from Ken'trus - Kaiser DNA - and modifying them because this had never been done before. Ic'den's eyes were especially sensitive to bright light and he always wore his visor. An advantage was that this gave him more acute night vision.

There was another genetic shortcoming which he shared with his father: emotion. Although recorded history told that every Kaiser was enabled with basic special powers such as telepathy and mind control over M-Base DNA and anti-gravity; electrical shocks, super strength and agility - all of which Ken'trus was a master over - there always seemed to be one or two abilities unique to each individual. Besides that, Ic'den's powers seemed to be superior to those of his father, even if only fractionally.

Although he had received extensive training from Ken'trus on how to harness his powers, it was feared that Ic'den might not be able to entirely control them. Therefore, his visor was specially built to double as a mental firewall, blocking off connection to some of his abilities and not allowing them to surface fully. But where Ken'trus wallowed in his powers, Ic'den actually feared them.

He had never revealed his feelings to his father, not wanting to suffer his wrath and often generally kept to himself. Though Ken'trus could create a being that, like him, was the most powerful lifeform in the galaxy, he could not engineer personality. Rather than craving ultimate power and control, Ic'den secretly wished for a simpler purpose.

Instead of being the loud, overly dramatic, cocky image of his parental unit, he was calm and sensitive, enjoying life but regretting his own. If Ic'den was anything, he was loyal and respected and obeyed his father without question. He knew full well why he had been created and although he may not like it deep down, he was willing to submit to it.

The doors shut soundlessly behind the Controller as a Xian who had been standing in the center of the large room approached. He had been watching over Ic'den who was seated on the floor.

"Everything is set up and going smoothly," Rentis whispered. "But..." he trailed off, turning his head back toward the boy. "I believe he may be nervous."

"Nervous?" smirked Ken'trus. "He is a Kaiser. Kaisers are never nervous." He looked the smaller Xian in the eye as they were both without their visors and ordered that the teleportation of Monster X be readied. Rentis nodded and after glancing at Ic'den's shadowed figure, walked out of the room.

Ken'trus approached his son who was sitting Indian-style in a black mechanical device. The base was a circle about four and a half feet in diameter with a 'seat' in the center. Attached to its back were several wires and electrical cables, some connected to the boy to enhance his telepathy and control over the monster while others monitored his brainwave activities and output of Kaiser power. The machine and its connections all gave off a blue glow. Ken'trus eyed the short black hair and lean body of his son. His skin was pale because of his dark environment but his physical features were actually quite handsome - a trait Ken'trus was proud of and felt came from him. Ic'den didn't acknowledge his father's presence as his mind was flowing deep into the computer matrix, trying to establish contact with Monster X. Ken'trus turned to one of the scientists.

"How long?"

"One minute, twenty-seven seconds," was the reply.

"Very well. Ic'den," he called. The boy's pale face looked up with a jerk, peering lifelessly through his sleek black visor. "Remember your training. Remember your cause. Do not disappoint me, son." The boy looked off into the distance again, returning to his work.

"Forty-five seconds," noted the scientist.

"Twenty-five seconds." Ken'trus turned on a holoscreen showing the Mysterian army outside Washington. There was a large dome half a mile away with dozens of different land and air squadrons consisting of hundreds of units between it and the Xian ship. Their military was impressive but not superior.

The Xians had the largest army in the solar system and now, the time had arrived to show it off. Ken'trus felt a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

"Order the fighter squadron to form into three sections and surround the dome. Beam down our ground troops a quarter mile from the Mysterian base and send the kaiju in this sector to engage the enemy. Monster X will lead them." The scientist nodded and gave the information to a nearby soldier. Another specialist stepped forward.

"Connection has been made to Monster X."

"Beam him down."

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Several garrisons of Xian soldiers marched in formation, laser rifles at port arms. It wasn't long before they engaged the Mysterian infantry and opened fire. Laser beams streaked across the snow-spangled landscape as rows of front line troops were brought down in the cross-fire. Both sides suffered casualties but Xian reinforcements just kept coming, legion after legion beaming down behind the previous one.

The Mysterians employed a new form of land vehicle that rode on steel tracks, firing off missiles and mini-heat rays on all sides. In turn, the Xians beamed down pods attached to four long mechanical legs, standing two stories high and capable of firing a laser beam. The dome unleashed its heat ray weapons several times, melting dozens of Xian troops, war machines and fighter jets, leaving boiling puddles of water where snow had once covered the ground. The super-heated electric-blue ray almost seemed as if it would turn the tide in their favor but as the enemy continued marching forth, there was little doubt as to who the ultimate victor would be.

"Hold your ground!" a Mysterian general shouted over the noise of battle. Suddenly, his attention was diverted as a flash of light blinded him for a second. The Mysterians ceased fire and looked up toward the enormous Xian mothership hovering a few hundred meters above them and what knelt down in front of it, behind the army of enemy troops.

A huge black, lifeless figure covered by a gleaming ivory exoskeleton was surrounded by a thick flurry of snow flakes dancing about it. Its hideousness sent chills down the spine of every Mysterian. The monster's appearance alone reeked of death with a large skull-like head rising into a crest with two similar half-skulls nestled on either shoulder. Long, muscle-bound arms and legs were covered with patches of pointed bones. Its fingers and toes were tipped with needle-like claws. Jagged spikes ran down its back, giving way to a slender forked tail. If the Mysterian military academy had taught them how to scream, they would have.

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"Now, my son. Show them who the REAL power in the galaxy is. Show them you are a Kaiser." Ic'den focused and felt a sudden bond with the beast when their lifeforces became one, feeding off each other. They would work as one being - one life - to destroy their foes.

The troops continued gazing upon the huge creature, waiting for it to move. Suddenly, its hollow eye sockets glowed bright red, two in the face and one on each shoulder-skull. A deep thundering growl was heard as it rose up on one leg and then the other, stirring up the gentle snowfall. Rising to its full height of 120 meters, the space monster loomed over the battlefield with eyes that sentenced all living beings to death.

The General shook his head and ordered his troops to open fire. An onslaught of laser beams knocked into Monster X's exoskeleton, sending thousands of tiny sparks skidding across his plated chest. The dragon turned its head toward the source of the attack and with a deep, quick surge of power, his four eyes brightened with shimmering golden light. The Mysterian's eyes widened as he knew something bad was about to happen.

"Pull back! Pull back!" he ordered but four electrically charged gravity beams shot forth, wickedly slivering in the air for a split second before crashing down on the garrison and exploding in huge balls of fire. Waves of screams filled the air before fading in the flames.

The remaining Mysterians fled as a second attack came from the monster. Four bright streaks of energy sent aliens and war machines alike flying through the air as they burned. Thousands of the running aliens nearly lost their balance as the ground beneath them began to shake.

Godzilla Junior was walking toward them but he quickly shifted direction. Heading for the other side of the dome got a burst of blue radioactivity from his mouth that turned their retreat into a chaotic panic. The dinosaur swept his atomic ray across the invaders, its energy carrying them off in a wall of fire. Confused and panicked screams dominated the air as another monster appeared from the left.

Baragon lumbered toward the fleeing ants, trampling their vehicles underfoot. He then stopped, inhaled and exhaled another wave of fire onto them, sweeping the soldiers up in a blast of burning heat. Passing overhead, a line of Xian fighter jets swooped down into the middle of the army and shot up everything in their path.

The citizens of Washington fled for their lives as the Directive's so-called war with mankind had ceased. In fact, there was no Space Force Directive anymore, only the mighty Xian armada and the meager attempts at defense by the Mysterians.

True to Xian protocol, nothing was going to be left standing in Washington, be it person, machine or structure. Beautiful monuments and buildings were reduced to pebbles but amid this destruction, in a civil war in which they had no part in, were the scared, hopeless humans.

Grief had turned into terror when the beings from Planet X started their rampage. They were being sorted for distribution to Directive labor camps but their Mysterian captors had suddenly left them to their own devices and quickly boarded their aircraft - until they saw the combat taking place above them. Many were killed on the ground before they ever got a chance to fight again.

The scene was no different in the Capitol Building but some politicians did not comply with the new order as calmly as expected. The Mysterian soldiers had thought of them as nothing but fat, laid-back bureaucrats who would bend under pressure and fewer troops had been assigned to round them up. The blue-clad soldiers were surprised when some of them cursed them out or even fought back. The latter incidents were easily taken care of with a few blaster shots.

With no fight left in him, the former President idly stood by, waiting to be told where to go. Koban, enraged by the defeat of King Kong, had stood off to the side, lost in thought. In a matter of seconds, all the power he once had also was quite literally stripped from him, and in front of the entire world. Abandoned, he watched the politicians being taken into captivity, trying to find scraps of supremacy to feed his gluttonous greed for dominance before these disgraced so-called leaders. He glanced at the seated President who would be the last to depart this hallowed structure.

The Capitol had been one of the first locations attacked. A third of it was blown away by laser fire but that had simply been a scare tactic. Had they wanted to, the Xians could have obliterated the entire building before Koban knew what hit him. What remained shook violently as the walls cracked and pieces of the great dome broke off and tumbled to the floor.

The President watched his captors looking around in terror before fleeing. Koban yelled something he could not hear over the roar of a nearby explosion. His remaining staff quickly hustled everyone out of the stricken Capitol and it was the last time the two leaders would lay eyes on one another.

Panicked politicians fled as the building wavered dangerously on its foundation, the President included. They had bolted out of the Capitol, only to be halted in their tracks by the horrifying scene before them. This was war, the likes of which mankind couldn't possibly conduct for at least another century. Titanic machines and technology clashed for dominance of a world which was not theirs. For a moment, the former President was struck with a sense of irony as he always thought that it would be humans who would bring about Armageddon.

High above, a MOGERA tried to fight off three Xian dog fighters. Its tactile computer brain fed it new maneuvers every nanosecond to dodge its assailants. At one point, a window for attack opened and it destroyed one of the fighters with its eye beams. But despite its best efforts, the mech was still out-classed. The remaining two ships locked on and unleashed blasts of laser fire, obliterating the top half of the machine.

This spectacle was one of many the distraught men and women in front of the decimated Capitol witnessed. They ran in all directions as what was left of the MOGERA spiraled downward. Their leader no longer feared death and there was no where or need to run. The world was near its end but the President would never know how right his assumptions would later be as he headed toward the White House. The air around him filled with horrible sounds as hunks of metal whistled down from the sky before slamming into the ground.

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Even before Koban laid eyes on the devastation, he knew that the Space Force Directive was no more. Under all those layers of insanity and beneath his ego that seemed to stretch to infinity, there were faint whisperings of rationality. This tenuous stability had always existed in the Mysterian king's subconscious mind.

As he grew in both power and self-image, believing that his methods as ruler were not only right but also necessary, rationality faded more and more. With the creation of the Space Force Directive, it told his unlistening brain that the alliance would snap with the slightest excuse. It told him he had no chance of defeating Ken'trus. But as many times as Koban had warned himself, he also ignored his moments of rationality and caution. His more logical side was not destroyed, however.

Most of the time, Koban could not hear this side of him other than in dreams that he soon forgot upon awakening. When the Xian rebellion became evident, he was hit with a sense of deja vu. In reality, this was merely his worst fears come to life.

Koban's ship had been on standby ever since the attack on Washington began. The King and his remaining guards rushed out of the Capitol and boarded eight awaiting ships. He entered a code on his ship's computer that he alone knew, a signal to all MOGERAs everywhere ordering them to return to the North Pole Base in accordance with their Prime Directive - PROTECT THE KING AT ALL COSTS.

The tyrant had even ordered the allegiance of these mechanical giants. All around the country, any MOGERA not built specifically for dome protection headed at full speed toward its home base. From the areas under the control of the former Space Force Directive, robots curtained the skies like flocks of giant, shimmering birds.

In Washington, they broke away from fighting the Xians to surround Koban's ship and its escorts, forming a massive ball of metal bodies around them. Their one-time comrades fired on them with no effect, eventually breaking off at Ken'trus' order. He had other plans for his former ally.

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From out of the ground came four MOGERAs, two from either side of the dome. Simultaneously, they lifted their coned hands, aiming at the Xian mothership. Their housings split open and eight spiral rockets shot out toward the spacecraft as the dome also fired its ray. Godzilla Junior turned his head and watched as the missiles and laser impacted, exploding across the craft and disturbing its previously invisible barrier shield. The Mysterians' weapons were useless against the force field.

Monster X engaged a MOGERA in hand-to-hand combat. The robot tried delivering multiple blows with its pointed hands and eye beams but the Xian monster was too quick. The space dragon jumped upward and spun, grabbing the construct with its forked tail and throwing it effortlessly across the battlefield. It soon found a second in its place upon which he released his gravity beams, shattering it into fiery pieces.

The Mysterian commanders inside the dome couldn't believe their eyes. The power of this new kaiju was unimaginable!

"Where are our reinforcements?" they demanded.

"We have none, sir!" a lesser Mysterian replied.

"What?" a captain shouted.

"It's Koban," said another line officer. "He took most of the MOGERAs with him in retreat. The coward!"

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Junior fired his atomic breath at the MOGERA to the far right, sending sparks and explosions dancing across its breastplate. The robot counter-attacked with its plasma eye cannons but they had little effect against the monster's tough hide. Junior again fired, this time blowing off its head.

The other MOGERAs moved in, firing their various laser weapons at Monster X and Baragon. The four-legged kaiju ran toward an oncoming robot and leapt into the air for the attack as its chest plate opened, revealing a silver dish that fired its rainbow-colored plasma-maser cannon projector. It hit Baragon in mid-air and pushed him back several hundred meters until he went crashing to the ground.

The dinosaur rolled over onto his feet, shook the dirt off and made another run for the giant machine. This time, the MOGERA used its eye beams, hitting the ground in front of him. The kaiju jumped into the air and landed on its head, the force of the 10,100-ton beast knocking the robot off its treads and to the ground with a thunderous crash. Baragon punched and clawed at its head relentlessly, ripping metal plating off and sending chunks of computer hardware flying in every direction. After taking its face off, he breathed a jet of flame into the opening, turning the weapon of mass destruction into a fiery ruin.

Godzilla Junior stepped on hundreds of Mysterians before firing another blast of radiation at those out of reach. Monster X blew attacking saucers from the sky and Baragon chased soldiers through the dome's now open doors. He then halted, receiving new instructions from his controllers and started digging into the earth.

Three kaiju encircled the army with the Xian ships raining down destruction from above. The Mysterian leaders inside the besieged dome couldn't believe their eyes. None wanted to watch but neither could they look away from the wall-mounted viewscreen.

They saw Godzilla Junior blowing their fighters out of the sky, the Xian mothership unleashing heavy laser fire onto their army and bombers flying overhead out of view of their visual transmitters, only to be rocked in their seats seconds later by explosions. Suddenly, the dome itself shifted back and forth violently as its foundation gave way.

From the other side, Baragon emerged from the ground, having dug tunnels beneath the dome to weaken its supports. After shaking himself clean, the floppy-eared monster turned around to see the earth give way and the dome collapse into the huge ditch he had created. Fires appeared as cracks in the structure split it apart. Monster X fired another round of gravity beams at the dome, blowing it up and sending an explosive shockwave throughout the area. The dark kaiju then knelt on one knee and roared in triumph.

Ken'trus threw his head back in unrestrained laughter at the holoscreen. The sheer power he wielded was more than he could stand not to laugh over. He was beside himself with glee. Gods, how I love this job!

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At Grovers Mill, the Advocates made ready to leave for Japan. Unlike their associates in the Washington area, they had been able to contact many of their colleagues who had made their way to the secret government facility. Their drills and simulations over the years would now be put to the test as the worst case scenario began to unfold.

Camouflaged hangar doors beneath the meadow parted to reveal its long-hidden secret to the sky. A strange, unearthly hum filled the air as a bronze Martian war machine once again overlooked the Earth. Years of study and preparation had gone into making this feat possible but now it was airborne once again and rapidly flying toward the west.

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At UWP headquarters, another meeting had been called to discuss the recent turn of events.

"Where are the Elias?" Angelique inquired.

"They asked to be excused after Mothra fell. They are tending to her now," A. Johnson reported.

"Well, comrades, it appears that Godzilla is alive and well and that the Space Force Directive is coming apart at the seams. This is honestly better than anything else we could have hoped for," Commander Argon began.

"Yes. And ironically enough, it seems we have Godzilla to thank for it," the Prime Minister admitted, much to everyone's surprise.

"You almost sound happy that Godzilla has returned," General Aso looked rather disapprovingly at the Simeon leader.

"General, if not for Godzilla, we would not be faced with the situation we have now. We took our best shot at the Directive and it wasn't good enough. There was nothing and no one else standing in their way before Godzilla returned," Argon tried to explain.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend?" King Hector pondered aloud.

"It would seem most fitting," his Queen figured.

"So we attack them now?" the Mu Empress asked.

"No, not yet," Argon suggested. "Let's see how things play out between them first."

"You want them to batter each other first and then move in," General Aso realized.

"Exactly."

"And hope that whoever the winner is, they suffer enough damage and losses to allow us to take them out?" Bordu added.

"That's the plan," Argon stated.

"Well, let's hope that it works. We haven't caught a break yet during this entire campaign," Johnson reminded them.

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A few hours after Cillian had spoken to his American friend, he found himself at the Narita International Airport just outside Tokyo where Garey Adams had instructed him to go. He had a friend there who worked in security and could set everything up for him. The anxious kaijuologist soon spotted the private plane with a red stripe that Garey had told him to look for. As soon as he got close to the door, it suddenly swung open and two men grabbed him.

"What's going on here?" Cillian blurted in surprise as they quickly pulled him inside and slammed the door shut. He looked around the cabin. Close to a dozen men, all older than himself and dressed in army fatigues, eyed him just as curiously.

"Relax, Cillian. They're with me," a familiar voice called from the cockpit. He walked forward to find Garey sitting in the pilot's seat, finishing his pre-flight check list. The engines soon roared to life and the plane taxied toward a main runway. Several security vehicles with their yellow lights flashing could be seen tearing toward them but it was too late.

"What's the matter? The way they're acting, you'd think we'd stolen the plane or something. Was there something you forgot to do?" Cillian asked as the radio crackled to life.

"Attention departing aircraft. You do not have clearance to take off. We must order you to bring the plane ba-", Garey abruptly turned off the radio and began whistling to himself as the full realization of what was happening struck Cillian.

"Oh my God! We did steal it! You didn't say anything about STEALING a plane... You said you were going to charter one! What about your friend you said worked here?"

"Nah... Too much time would be wasted on red tape and paperwork. And as for my inside guy, internal security sucks worse than the rent-a-cops they use. You'd be amazed how far you can get with fake IDs. Besides, the term I like to use is 'borrow'," he grinned.

"I can't believe this..." Cillian muttered, staring blankly out the windshield.

"Well, you wanted to get to the U.S. fast..."

"Yeah, swell... But I'm a wanted fugitive now!"

"Oh, quit complaining! You make it sound like you're Jeffery Dahmer or something. Worst case scenario: If we're caught, it's just a misdemeanor. Just tell the authorities we took you against your will. And since you're here, say hello to the rest of the gang," Garey told him.

"Who are these guys anyway?"

"These guys, my boy, are the last surviving members of my old platoon and a couple of other buddies of mine. I lived, fought and nearly died alongside these men countless times during our campaigns together. I trust them with my life and vice versa."

"But why are they coming along?"

"You ain't the only one wanting to go to the States, it seems," he replied with a strange gleam in his eyes."

"So what's your reason?"

"To fight for our country, son. And if need be, die for it."

"What? Just a dozen of you? The Space Force Directive has wiped out entire ARMIES! What chance do you think you guys have?"

"Maybe it ain't about winning. Or even about surviving. Maybe it's about goin' out in a blaze of glory like at the Alamo. Right, guys?" Garey yelled out the question and the other veterans whooped and hollered in unison. "Who wants to die of old age anyhow?" he asked Cillian in a whisper.

"But this is crazy..."

"As crazy as you wanting to save an over-grown dinosaur?" Garey laughed.

"Yeah... I guess so," Cillian finally admitted.

"You're really serious about this business, aren't you?

"Yes, I am. I was there when he was born. I raised him, nurtured him. I took care of him. He's... he's my friend."

From the back, one of the men suddenly yelled, "Pikachu, I choose you!" and everyone burst into hysterical laughter. Cillian blushed.

"Okay, men. Settle down now," Garey ordered.

"I've been using the Internet on my phone to keep up with news of the Directive's movements. When we reach the U.S., knowing where they are and what is happening should help us decide what to do next," Cillian offered.

"Sounds good," Garey agreed.

"So... Do we have enough fuel?"

"Oh, yeah. This baby is a Gulfstream G650. With a full load, she's capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles as long as we keep the speed around Mach point 85. We're good to go, me boy! Might as well get comfortable. It's going to be a long flight."

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Koban ordered the North Pole Base to maintain its highest level of security and for all line officers to stand by for an emergency meeting. When they landed, the MOGERAs that had accompanied him fanned out and positioned themselves around the facility in a perfectly symmetrical formation.

He wasted no time getting to the main conference room where his military and scientific staff stood waiting behind their seats. Each knew the grave position they were in and had gathered plans for both attack and escape. Neither contingent wished to upstage the other, their only goal being to safely continue as many Mysterian operations on Earth as possible. So far, few military plans seemed to hold much promise and many of those present felt that the only sensible strategy was to retreat.

Koban soon came to the head of the table and sat down in his chair, ordering his subordinates to do likewise. "I want to hear everything you have compiled. We have very little time before this base is attacked. Regardless if we escape or fight, I want all scientific operations, as well as civilian colonists, evacuated to Mars. As for military options, I will hear them first."

"Sire," General Kugo began. "We estimate that 65% of our MOGERAs remain with 40% of our ships still operational. These all escaped from Washington. Aside from that, we have the security forces here and, of course, on Mars."

"What of the domes in the territory?" Koban asked.

"They are being destroyed at an ever-increasing rate," stated another Mysterian official. "An emergency evacuation of them will be ordered as you asked, my lord."

"Where are the Xians now?"

"They are nearing the Pacific coast, sire," the officer reported.

"Casualties to their forces?"

"They have suffered minor damage..." he admitted, fearing the King's wrath but Koban pressed on.

"What of the Virans?"

"Retreated in rapid order, sire," said another.

Koban leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling, his open, gloved hands appearing to be in prayer in front of his helmet. In deep contemplation, this was the first time he had been able to properly reflect on all that had happened. The statistics and his near-death in Washington now caused his forgotten anger to rise. Rationale was telling him it was a lost cause to fight on but every horrible surge of fury tried to silence it. He remained this way for several minutes, some thinking that he had fallen asleep. Finally, one Mysterian whispered to him.

"I WANT HIM DEAD!" roared Koban, rising to his feet. "I want that filthy, disgraceful piece of trash's head on a platter! Ken'trus will fall before us!" The terror-stricken Mysterian who thought the king was talking about him slid back into his chair in relief.

"All of you! I want every soldier on stand-by! In fact, put every Mysterian who can fire a blaster on stand-by! If they don't have a laser, give them a knife and send them into battle. I don't care! The minute you see him coming over the horizon, hit him with everything we have! To hell with the science operations! To hell with the colonists! Anything with a laser, I want it out there! Anything that can crash into a Xian fighter, I want in the air! I will not falter. I will not run! NEVER AGAIN WILL HE MOCK ME! I WILL RIP THE SMILE OFF HIS FACE WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS! I WILL-"

"My lord, that may not be such a good idea..." interrupted an officer. All heads turned, aghast as they looked at the Mysterian who had interrupted the King in mid-sentence. Sensing his end was near, the brave soul continued. "We could pretend we were retreating into space. Then when the Xians don't expect -" The officer's head was blown off by Koban's hand blaster, the body going limp in its chair.

"My! Aren't we a bit touchy today?" came a voice from the doorway. The already-shocked officials stared at this new individual who asked for death.

The daring figure standing in front of the sliding doors was not a Mysterian but a human. Not a speck of lint marred his immaculate black suit. From his shoulders flowed a long black cape. His wing-tipped shoes were polished to a near mirror-like finish that reflected every source of light in the room. The dark skin of this old man had not a boil or age spot; the best creams and colognes money could buy having worked their magic. The human's body was tall and fit, a highly nutritious diet and amazing aerobic work-outs maintaining his obvious vitality. His silver-white hair was groomed to perfection with not one strand deviating from it full-bodied, precise styling. In his spotless white-gloved hands, he carried a stack of papers on which rested a glass of red wine. Surprisingly, not a drop of the 1956 vintage liquid had spilled, no doubt due to his excellent posture and balance.

"I don't remember you being included in this meeting, Who!" seethed Koban.

"DOCTOR Who, my little red king. It is DOCTOR Who. I did not go through medical school to be referred to as only 'Who'. You sound quite owl-like." He made his way to the dead Mysterian's seat and sat his things down on the table. After briefly examining the dead official, he lifted the body out of the chair and laid it to the side. Doctor Who checked his gloves to make sure no blood had gotten on them before taking his seat.

Picking up the wine glass, he looked down at the dead official, raised it in a silent toast and with a smile, sipped the liquid. The wine's temperature had risen a few degrees during its journey from his quarters. Who slightly wrinkled his nose but rank again. All eyes were on him, especially those of Koban. The king's chest heaved in anger at the man who didn't seem to realize he had interrupted the meeting.

"Last time I checked, your work here was finished. And believe me, I am happy it is, you old eyesore! You are of no use to me anymore!" Koban raised his blaster to aim at Who's head.

"And why is that, my friend?" asked Who, ignoring the weapon and taking another sip of wine.

"Because your shoddy work on Kong killed every possibility of dominating this planet!"

"If you will remember, I asked for more time to work on this project but you had to have it your way. Godzilla was evenly matched with Kong. Now, if I had been given a little more time -"

"I went through the trouble of rounding up for you the best ape specimens on this planet and all you did was dissect them before asking for more! Remember the A*P*E*? Remember the Peking Man? Do you realize how hard it was to capture them alive and unharmed and bring them here? Or were you too busy thinking of MORE WAYS TO DESTROY THIS OPERATION?"

"They were pathetic. Kong was the prize. I told you that we needed him from the start but you refused. Once more, I press the time issue. And while we are filing our grievances, I would like to remind you of the slave wages you have been paying me. I think it is time for a raise. Also, please get me some better help. Obviously, your scientists know nothing of Earth organisms."

"I will pay you nothing more than a ticket to meet your maker!"

"Believe me, I do not wish to meet the Buddha yet. I ask again: Why kill me when my work is not completed? I still have very much to do."

"Just how senile are you, old man? Did you not see Kong get obliterated by Godzilla? You must be blind!"

"Oh, no. My recent eye examination proves that my eyesight is a perfect 20/20 with no ocular degeneration. As for my mental health, my doctors say that I am perfectly sane. I could also very well outlive you, Napoleon Junior."

"I am not killing you yet because I would like to know WHY you think Kong is alive. However, my patience is wearing very thin. Stop talking in riddles, Who, and spit it out!"

"Ahem... DOCTOR Who. To answer your question, I know Kong is alive because... oh, how do I put this? He is."

"Prepare to die!"

"It is true. Check these reports I received only a few minutes ago." Who picked up a folder and slid it over to Koban. The king opened it and examined the papers inside. "As you will see, I implanted a monitor in Kong after his surgery. He is alive, though barely." Koban looked up, astonished.

"How?" he gasped.

"Never underestimate my Kong," Who beamed with pride.

"Can you bring him back?"

"'We can rebuild him. We can make him better than he was'," Who chuckled at his joke. "Of course I can but I will need to hurry. I took a peek in your War Bridge. Apparently, your alien friends have moved far enough away from Delaware. If you want him, I need to gather my equipment and leave soon. I have modified one of your smaller domes for use as a stasis unit for Kong in case you went and nearly killed him. It seems my predictions served me well."

"How long will it take to fix him?"

"That is hard to determine. I will need to fully scan him and, if he is as badly damaged as I think he is and the project goes as I think it will, I would say a month at least."

"A MONTH? I DON'T EVEN HAVE A DAY UNTIL THE XIANS ARRIVE!"

"Do not think I will revive him here! I will take him to Mars. You can stay here and die but I refuse to. I suggest you pack up as well, Red."

"You have no idea, do you? If I don't defeat Ken'trus -"

"You make it sound so personal. I have never once seen you on the front lines. Why, the only time you kill people is when they offer you common sense advice. Admit it! He ruffled your feathers and now you are angry. You are like a spoiled child, Koban! How do you people take orders from this guy?" he asked everyone seated around him but they just stared back in fear.

"Why not get off this planet? Then when the Xians think everything is peachy, unleash all those nuclear weapons you have stockpiled on them. Seriously, you make the Koreans look like toy soldiers. If any remain, you can then take your remaining army, including my new and improved King Kong, and take them out."

The suggestion hit Koban like a piano dropped from the roof. He lowered his blaster and re-holstered it. His officers silently hoped that the Doctor's words had struck a chord with their volatile king.

"You are a genius," Koban accidentally muttered out loud.

"I know. Of course, my vision is not limited to everything behind a visor now, is it? Can I go retrieve my ape now?"

"Yes," Koban said, trying to regain his dominant position in the scheme of things. "Wait for me in your quarters. I have some things to say to you before you leave."

"You are going to kiss me goodbye? Oh, Koban, you really shouldn't. I already know you love me."

"Go now, Who. Or you will not leave this room alive!"

"You are the King," Doctor Who said, standing up and gathering his things. With his perfect posture, he walked to the door but before leaving, he turned to look at Koban. "You might want to clean that up," he said, indicating the dead body which had leaked a large pool of blood on the floor.

Doctor Who left, leaving the same impression he had created when he first arrived. The officers looked around at one another, whispering in astonished tones at what had just occurred. Koban cleared his throat and attention instantly returned to him.

"Evacuate the base as quickly as possible. I want this place cleared before the Xians arrive. Inform Mars of our plans." His voice tried to project authority after this latest humiliation.

"Yes sir!" they responded eagerly in unison. Each Mysterian rose and quickly headed for the door. One slipped on the blood and fell backwards to the floor.

"And clean that up!" Koban yelled.

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Aside from bacteria and other single-celled beings, there was no life for miles around the terminus of the Delaware River other than the battered Kong. His body lay half in the water on the shore of the bay. It was a miracle that he had been washed up here or he would no doubt have drowned.

With each breath, he felt like screaming from the pain. He did when he first flopped on land, soon tiring from the effort it took. Now, all he did was gasp. The agony was so great it had numbed him.

A large shadow came over the area. Kong took notice of this only slightly, barely able to see through the busted blood vessels and capillaries in his remaining eye. His only wish now was to die but he would live on in physical form a while longer.

A dome landed on the shore next to his body. Five saucers, one of which carried Doctor Who, escorted it. Who gazed at the monitors, noting that Kong's flesh was either blackened from the electrical incineration or pink-white in its rawest form. Nearly all of his fur had been burned off. By some twist of fate, his spinal column remained intact and his neck wasn't broken. Nearly every other bone in his body was either cracked or shattered. Most of his teeth had split under the intense pressure his clenching jaws had put on them, causing his gums to gush blood from his mouth.

Some of the metal on his arms still remained, now welded to his flesh. It was going to take intense surgery to remove it. Much of his epidermis was gone. There was some internal bleeding but for now, Kong was still alive in his living hell. Who rubbed a gloved thumb over the monitor screen displaying all of this as a tear ran down his cheek.

"What did they do to you?" he asked in a hushed voice as his face reflected his astonishment.

"Excuse me, sir. Shall we make preparations to hook him up to the life support?" asked a blue-clad Mysterian.

"What? Oh - oh, yes!" Who finally replied, coming back to reality. "Put enough sedatives in the IVs to make him comfortable. Then load him up. Be careful with him." The doctor quickly returned his gaze to the monitor.

Within an hour, Kong was unconscious and secured in the dome. Many tubes were connected to keep him alive. He had an oxygen mask over his broken face that regulated his oxygen intake. The inside of the dome was at a suitable temperature to make him as comfortable as possible. Germs were kept out with negative pressure vents so as not to further damage his vulnerable body. When all preparations were complete, the saucers and dome flew off toward Mars.

In his quarters, Doctor Who sat quietly, thinking of his many ideas for Kong. "I will fix you," he whispered. "I will give my very blood if necessary to fix you... my son, my Kong."

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At the UWP commissary, Doctor Kenji Kamaiya was watching a foreign news report on the downfall of the Space Force Directive when Commander Argon came in.

"Doctor Kamaiya?" the Simeon addressed him immediately.

"Yes, Commander?" he replied, turning away from the television.

"I just wanted to talk to you before we deploy Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus back to the United States."

"About the Xian-controlled kaiju, I assume?"

"Correct, Doctor. Please understand that we have no desire to kill Monsterland's prize specimens. But it is important that you realize that if the Xians send them out to attack our cyborgs, they will neutralize them by any means necessary," Argon admitted regretfully.

"I know..." the scientist admitted with a heavy sigh.

"I wish there was another way, Doctor, but my hands are tied in this affair. The kaiju will more than likely be killed."

"You know, it's funny. I remember when PETA was breathing down our necks after Monsterland was completed. They said they would rather see the kaiju dead than imprisoned. I guess they will finally get their wish..." Kenji frowned, shaking his head.

"I know that Mothra was able to stop them without harm during her battle with them but I am afraid I cannot make that promise."

"It's just as well, I suppose. Most of the kaiju that were on Monsterland began their lives as destroyers. I guess it is only fitting that they should end it that way."

"Doctor, you have my deepest and most sincere apologies," the Commander told him before turning to leave.


	18. Fever Pitch

Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus had arrived in Washington, D.C. in a desperate last ditch attempt to save the dying nation's capital from the Xians. With the defeat of the Mysterians, the ground troops had been withdrawn, leaving only Monster X and the Xian war machines.

Titanosaurus engaged the Xian fleet while Mechagodzilla prepared to challenge Monster X. The two cyborgs would have to fight this battle alone as the Simeon fleet had suffered terrible losses as a result of the battles they had waged against the Space Force Directive and the Kilaaks.

But before the mighty robot could do anything, all of the Xian-controlled kaiju surrounded it and attacked in unison. They didn't know that they were outmatched, the signals being sent to their brains from the mothership simply spurring them on to attack whatever was in front of them.

Mechagodzilla side-stepped Anguirus Junior's rolling attack as Baragon lunged, only to be caught and swung into the hard-charging Gorosaurus. Ebirah sprang forward and was punched out of the air as both Kumonga and Godzilla Junior fired off their projectile attacks. The robot turned toward them but before it could counter-attack, Varan flew in and slammed into it hard.

As the construct staggered forward, Ang Junior returned to throw his spiky self into its side, knocking the robot off balance and over. Getting back up, it unloaded every weapon it had, spinning its torso a full 360 degrees and causing much carnage.

Ebirah was instantly obliterated by the assault. Attempting to dodge, Kumonga leapt upward but he wasn't able to clear all of the missiles, taking hits that brought him crashing back down, literally in pieces.

Godzilla Junior was mowed down by the barrage as was Anguirus Junior who was badly dazed. Mechagodzilla reached down, hooked the quadruped's tail in his arms and swung him overhead, bringing his spiked carapace down on top of the charging Baragon's head and crushing his skull. Anguirus was then thrown through the air, plummeting down in the distance and being knocked unconscious by the impact.

Gorosaurus had suffered severe injuries from both beams and missiles but managed to hit Mechagodzilla with a kangaroo kick as the mech spun around to face him. But as the robot flew backward, another salvo brought the great dinosaur down, roaring one final time before he collapsed, his impaler missile-ridden corpse flooding the streets of Washington with his blood.

Varan tried to dive-bomb his adversary again while he was down but several beam blasts blew him out of the sky. He came down head first and hard. Before he could fully recover, Mechagodzilla grabbed him in a headlock as the kaiju struggled uselessly. With a swift jerk, his neck was broken.

As the robot turned away from its kill, Godzilla Junior charged forward. The forcefield fended off several breath blasts. When Junior reached him, Mechagodzilla side-stepped the young kaiju and planted an elbow in the back of his head, putting him face first into the pavement, his head breaking through the concrete and into the dirt beneath.

As Junior got back up, he made several bites and swipes at the robot which were easily blocked or dodged as another volley of missiles at point-blank range put him down again. Groggily rising, the saurian attempted another breath attack that did no harm as Mechagodzilla readied his plasma missiles for firing.

Once more the determined kaiju rushed forward as the rockets shot forth, mutilating the monster's body in horrifying ways as he stumbled backward, screaming in agony. The robot then launched himself through the air, hitting him with an uppercut kick that sent the youngster flipping through the air and crashing down into several structures that buried him in rubble. Godzilla Junior did not rise again but Monster X stepped up to face the Simeon war horse.

Elsewhere, Titanosaurus opened fire with everything he had as the Xian fleet returned fire. Surface craft that came within arm's reach were crushed by the monster's hands and feet while incoming fighter craft were picked off right and left. His force field was holding up well, even under this onslaught.

Mechagodzilla sparred with Monster X but the kaiju's speed and reflexes were stifling an effective strike. The cyborg was hard-pressed to land a single blow. This creature had no difficulty landing a spinning backhand/kick/tail strike combination that sent it crashing into a partially destroyed building that the mech's bulk collapsed.

Righting itself, Mechagodzilla was blasted by Monster X's beams and the warbot toppled over yet again. The Xian demolisher leaped toward the seemingly prone construct who thrust his right hand up in an uppercut that caught Monster X squarely on the jaw. He came down awkwardly in front of the Simeon mech which planted a knee in his gut. Mechagodzilla managed to double him over long enough to get a firm grip to pick him up onto his shoulders, balanced upside down while simultaneously shifting his arms to hook Monster X's legs.

Compacting his opponent's body into a tight cradle position, the robotic Godzilla doppelganger leaped up and fell back down, drilling the Xian battle beast hard into the earth with a spine-jolting muscle buster slam. The ground shook as Monster X came crashing down on the back of his head, neck and shoulders, sending a reverberating shockwave through the creature's body from the force of the impact.

The maneuver should have broken the kaiju's neck but Monster X was merely disoriented by the attack. He groggily rose up, only to be drop-kicked right in the face. Signaling to his partner, the two battle-borgs swapped opponents as Mechagodzilla activated his jets, spiraling head first into the sea of Xian aircraft while sending beams and missiles flying in all directions.

Monster X got back up, only to be riddled with a series of cluster blasts as Titanosaurus closed in for a series of punches followed by a head butt. The Xian creation attempted to catch one of his attacker's arms but it was the cybernetic one which proved too strong for the alien fiend to stop. It struck his jaw, followed by a stiff kick from an enhanced leg that put him back down.

Titanosaurus then tried to hit Monster X with his arm cutter but his quarry somersaulted not only over the laser but over his opponent, grabbing him while flipping overhead. Using his momentum, Monster X threw the cyborg a good distance where he came down hard on his back. As he rose back up, the beast fired his beams again, only to be caught by the reflector dish. Titanosaurus dropped his shield long enough to catch and channel the blast back to its source.

Monster X barely dodged in time, throwing himself off to one side and firing again. This time, his beams hit the force field. A salvo of missiles fired from Titanosaurus' leg connected as he came down, knocking the monster off balance as he fell.

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Aboard the Xian mothership, Ic'den conversed telepathically with his father. Their defensive shields are formidable. I have been trying to breach them with my Kaiser powers but have been unsuccessful

That is because you are not attacking the right spot, my son. Join your powers with mine, Ic'den, and we shall see these inferior machinations fall

The two Kaisers concentrated. Down on the battlefield, the force field generators within Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus suddenly began to smolder and finally shorted out as internal alarms went off, warning of a malfunction.

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In Japan at the Simeon base, Commander Argon took notice of this as well. "What is wrong? What's happening out there?"

"The cyborgs have lost their shields!" an engineer barked.

"Get them back up on auxiliary power!"

"It's not working!" the confused ape wailed.

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The Xian fleet overran Mechagodzilla as a bombardment of weapons fire assaulted his unprotected hull. Monster X took advantage of the mech's confusion to bum rush Titanosaurus who brought up his laser cutter but the alien was too quick. He grabbed the arm and swiftly bent it back up as it fired, destroying the creature's cybernetic eye, the cluster blaster within and slicing off part of his ear fin.

Monster X then ripped the device from his arm and followed up with a backhand before expelling a point-blank shot of his beams that detonated upon Titanosaurus' head and neck. The battered kaiju went down.

Seeing what was happening, Mechagodzilla veered away from the attacking fleet and headed straight for Monster X. The Xian hellion turned and was smacked into at such high velocity that they both went tumbling. Titanosaurus managed to right himself and challenged the oncoming fleet with his leg missiles - his only remaining long range weapon - to allow his partner to engage Monster X unhindered.

As they both rebounded, Mechagodzilla sent volleys of missiles at Monster X, obscuring him in the resulting explosions. When he staggered forward, there was damage to his exo-skeleton by both incendiary rounds and impaler missiles that were lodged in his torso. He wrenched one free with a painful roar as Mechagodzilla's plasma rounds slid into his gauntlets in preparation for firing.

"It is all or nothing," Ic'den muttered to himself as he concentrated hard.

As Mechagodzilla released the missiles, Monster X suddenly stretched out his hand. Ic'den's Kaiser powers channeled through him and the salvo slowed before arcing back around to their source. The robot tried to blast off out of harm's way but was caught by some of the ordinance, sending it crashing back down. When the smoke cleared, part of its face, right arm and patches of body armor were missing.

Charging in, Monster X rocked the crippled robot with a solid roundhouse punch. Reacting in desperation, Mechagodzilla thrust his left arm up, firing an impaler missile into the behemoth's right eye. As he stumbled backwards wailing, Monster X grasped at the projectile buried in his skull. Mechagodzilla followed up with his remaining eye beam, right into the kaiju's other eye, blinding him and sending the creature staggering backwards.

The mechanical warrior rushed forward, spear-tackling its adversary into the burning remnants of the once-proud city, smashing through the rubble. Mechagodzilla knew that battling this adversary head on, he would be demolished so more drastic measures were called for. The robot ignited its jet propulsion and rocketed up into the sky with Monster X in tow.

From several miles up, it arced back around and plummeted toward the Earth. When they hit the ground, impact tremors went out in all directions. Having been drilled so hard into the ground, Monster X was actually knocked out momentarily. Aboard the Xian mothership, Ic'den worked feverishly to re-establish his link with the Kaiser and get him back in the fight.

Titanosaurus was not faring well either, sustaining heavy damage from the apparently endless armada of ships that washed over him like a pack of rabid jackals. Indicators giving reports of severe damage blared inside the bionic monster but it battled on regardless. It fired away but the Xian army just kept coming.

"Initiate weapon omega now!" Commander Argon ordered as Bordu punched in a special command code signal that immediately reached the two automatons.

Mechagodzilla left the unconscious Monster X and flew over to Titanosaurus. A compartment opened in the cyborg's back as a snake-like appendage snaked out of the robot's torso to connect to his ally. The dish in Titanosaurus' chest extended forward farther than it normally did and expanded in size as secondary paneling emerged to increase its surface area. Mechagodzilla completely shut down as all of its primary power fed through Titanosaurus and into the dish from its main power core.

Titanosaurus unleashed his deadliest weapon as the reflector dish fired the energy it had been absorbing from the Xian ships, along with Mechagodzilla's power. He rerouted all primary power from his own systems into the weapon as well. The resulting blast was unlike anything that had been seen before.

He aimed the beam at the oncoming ships and then rotated a full 360 degrees, bringing it down to ground level. It surged forth like a tsunami of pure energy, consuming everything it swept over. The entire Xian army was completely annihilated. Titanosaurus then directed what remained of his power at the mothership, striking the protective force field that encircled it.

The shielding was pushed to its limits and the control system on the main bridge exploded, killing the drone at the console as it failed completely. The beam continued on, puncturing the outer hull of the ship before finally dissipating. Ken'trus was knocked on his rump, much to his embarrassment.

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"YES!" Bordu exclaimed excitedly.

"Does the weapon have enough power for another deployment?" Argon asked.

"Yes, sir!" a Simeon technician assured him.

"Then prepare to fire," the Commander ordered.

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"Destroy that thing now!" Ken'trus spat angrily, getting back up.

"Primary weapons have been knocked offline," a crew member reminded him.

"They have enough power for another blast! If our enemy hits us with that beam without our shield, we are finished!" another operator monitoring the two androids warned.

Ic'den was pushing his powers to the limit as he desperately tried to revive the fallen Monster X. He broke out in a sweat, veins in his head bulging as he began to feel faint.

"Use the teleporter!" Ken'trus ordered.

"Also offline, Controller."

"Then get us out of here!" he stammered.

"Main engines also offline," a third Xian reported. Down below, Titanosaurus' dish primed for another blast.

"Someone do something!" Ken'trus roared, now on the verge of panic.

A split second before the weapon could fire again, a fist punched through Mechagodzilla's back and out the front of his chest, holding his power core. Without this component, the connection to Titanosaurus was severed and the dish lost its power.

Now a lifeless and powerless hulk, Mechagodzilla fell to the ground, revealing Monster X standing behind it. The Simeon war machine would never rise again. His own energy reserves depleted, Titanosaurus fell to his knees.

"How could Monster X see to attack?" one of the Xian officers asked. Curious himself, Ken'trus made a mental connection with his son and quickly realized that Ic'den had become the monster's eyes. The Controller beamed with pride.

Ic'den, my glorious Kaiser, I knew you would do me proud he thought to himself.

"Primary weapon back online."

"Destroy them," Ken'trus commanded.

"Yes, Controller." As the Xian mothership charged for firing, Monster X bounded away from what would be the blast zone. Titanosaurus looked up and brought his right arm up to his chest in the Simeon salute, letting out one final roar before he and what remained of Mechagodzilla were disintegrated.

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Back at the Simeon base, Bordu hung his head in defeat as Argon let out a despondent sigh. "Well, rookie, we gave it our best shot," he assured him, placing his hand on the lieutenant's shoulder.

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"Main engines back online, Controller. Force field will be operational again in a matter of seconds," the bridge officer reported.

"Excellent. When everything is back in working order, teleport Monster X back on board and proceed out of this area," Ken'trus ordered. He then opened a communications channel to Ic'den's psionic chamber.

"Well done, my son. You performed as perfectly as I expected you to. No less would be acceptable from a Kaiser." He received no reply. "Ic'den? Ic'den, can you hear me?" Ken'trus became slightly irritated at the lack of response. It was then that a security officer stationed outside the chamber informed him that Ic'den was unconscious but otherwise fine.

"What?" Ken'trus rumbled with a frown. On the ground below, Monster X was slumped in a sitting position, the life gone from him with his connection to Ic'den severed.

"We await orders, Controller," the bridge officer stated. Ken'trus hung his head for a moment in thought, cocking it sideways slightly before speaking again.

"Get Monster X back onboard. Then prepare a ground force for breaching the Mysterian North Pole Base. When we are within teleport range, drop them at their front door. Once they have wiped it clean, beam them back up and then proceed out of orbit. When that is done, set coordinates for Planet X. We need to raise a new fleet. Then we shall return to Earth," the Controller ordered.

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After the mothership had gotten underway, Rentis went to see the Controller in his chambers. Ken'trus stood with his back turned at the opposite end of the dimly-lit room, his arms crossed behind him.

"Controller?" he asked as he stepped through the sliding doors.

"Rentis, you know that you are the one Xian besides my son permitted to address me by name..."

"Yes. Of course. Ken'trus. I wish to ask about the collapse of the Space Force Directive."

"What of it?"

"Was it necessary?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"We just lost our entire fleet and all of our controlled kaiju."

"Your point being?"

"If the alliance with the Virans and the Mysterians had remained intact, we could have taken Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus down far easier with minimal losses on our part."

"Unacceptable. After the humiliation brought upon me by Koban, I was left with no other recourse. I refused to tolerate his stupidity any longer. He is an ignorant cretin. Such short-sightedness is the same thing that led Sar'rious to his demise. It was only right and necessary that I took control in both situations."

"You make it sound as if you wanted Sar'rious removed from power..."

"What if I did? As Controller, I will lead our people into a bright new future and take the Xian race places that old fool would have never considered."

"But you said the humans were responsible for Sar'rious' disappearance. That is what you told us... what you told the people..."

"The people know what they need to. Nothing more. The truth is irrelevant."

"Truth? What truth?"

"It no longer matters now."

"I think it does..."

"All that matters is that our people have been the lap dogs of the humans far too long. Sar'rious was a naive simpleton without vision. His passive-aggressive approach to taking the Earth was a delusional pipe dream. I did what needed to be done." Rentis was taken aback by the Controller's words and hesitated before speaking again.

"Ken'trus... did you have Sar'rious killed?" he finally asked, worried about the answer he would receive. The Controller merely smiled before replying.

"He was weak and his uncontrolled emotions made him unfit for command."

"Emotions... like what I have..." Rentis challenged him warily. Ken'trus remained silent for a moment and then slowly looked over his shoulder at his chief science officer.

"Your value both to me and our race is unquestionable. Without you, I would have no Kaiser son, no Monster X, no new kaiju control technology. Your strengths far outshine your... weaknesses." he explained as he turned and walked towards Rentis. "And my advice to you is to keep it that way. Is that understood?" he finished with a stern gaze. Rentis was unsure of how to react at first but finally managed to reply.

"Y-yes, Ken'trus."

"Very good. You are now dismissed." The Controller gave a wave of his hand as he turned away from him once more.

Rentis quickly left and the doors closed behind him. For the first time in all the years he had served Ken'trus, he found himself unsure of his allegiance, his future and what he should do now.

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King Ghidorah cried out in anger and scanned the sky with all six of his eyes as the last wisps of Tuket's fleet vanished. His senses were acute enough to locate individual lifeforms from orbit but he could not tell which way Tuket had gone.

The ships had separated to throw him off their trail. Confused, Ghidorah began to fly in circles, attempting to relocate him. He felt a silent resentment growing inside himself; a feeling of betrayal. The Skyllan then noticed something he hadn't picked up on before. It was a peculiar taste to the air, one that he had frequently encountered on this planet.

Radioactivity! Ghidorah snarled. The most vile beast he had ever faced carried an overwhelming stench of it. Godzilla has been here He remembered killing his hated enemy. Questions filled his head, drowning out his anger at the Kilaaks. How had it survived? How had it gotten here?

A new purpose filled the three-headed monster as he turned back east and began to follow Godzilla's trail. As he traveled, Ghidorah noticed that the earth below him was increasingly becoming more and more blood-soaked from a war that must have been fantastic to witness. If there was one thing he could take pleasure in, it was war. When two species, or even one, turned against one another, the results were amazing. Ghidorah didn't even need to kill to gain power and revel in the bloodshed.

As he approached what seemed to have been the heart of the battle, the Xian mothership became visible on the horizon. Glinting off of it were brief flashes of explosions from the ground. Occasionally, the ship itself fired at some unseen enemy. Naturally drawn to the company of death, Ghidorah abandoned his hunt and slowly approached the vessel of his former masters. By the time he reached it, it was clear that whatever enemy they had been fighting had been defeated.

Ghidorah heard a mental cry for freedom which was just as quickly cut off. He felt another presence here, something that he had ignored and accepted as simply a part of himself. As he contemplated this new calling, he realized that it was separate... but a part of him nonetheless. Confused, he slowly approached its source. As he cleared a series of hills and approached the Xian ship, he saw something which struck him with confusion and... dread? A lone creature stood on a conquered battlefield.

The monster was a black and white armored abomination much shorter than Ghidorah himself. Had it not suddenly moved, Ghidorah would have thought it was dead. Its skeletonized head seemed to look about despite being unable to see. The creature's mind attempted to reach out to him again but its plea for help was extinguished before it could communicate further. A beam of gravitic and magnetic distortion came down around the monster and it disappeared with a rasping, echoing roar. Its presence was still felt but its will power was gone. It was a slave, just as Ghidorah once was.

King Ghidorah became filled with hatred. He opened his mouths to blast the gigantic ship from the sky but it zoomed away at a speed that defied its massive size. Enraged, he turned on the remnants of the city that had played host to gods and demons.

Washington, D.C. had been a symbol of freedom for hundreds of years but now in its darkest hour, it had fallen first to the oppressive rule of tyranny, then collapsed into a ruined ghostly shell of its former splendor. What few people remained had nothing now. They mourned the loss of their families and the feeling of hopelessness that had engulfed them all.

Sympathy was an emotion the King of Terror had long ago forgotten as his gravity beams blew apart anything they could target. The scorched Earth had witnessed a massive battle that left the entire city in disrepair. A circle of cracked and burned shards suggested that a Mysterian dome had once stood here.

Ghidorah did not care and blasted everything he saw, whether it was still standing or already ruined, of human or alien construction. He took sadistic pleasure as he felt the lives of the stragglers exterminated. Their life force dispersed amongst the Earth's Mana which served to empower him even more.

_Anguirus_

Cillian and his fellow Americans had finally arrived in what remained of the District of Columbia. After landing well outside the city limits, they had ransacked a rural National Guard armory and hot-wired a van that took them as far as it could before the debris of battle became too much of an issue, forcing them to abandon it and continue on foot.

One of the last reports Cillian had gotten on his cell phone before the battery died showed the aftermath of the battle involving Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus and the Xian forces. The young kaijuologist could have sworn that one of the images he saw showed what looked to be Anguirus' body lying off in the distance, unmoving.

Please don't be dead he thought to himself.

"Damn! Looks like we missed all the action..." one of the ex-soldiers piped up just as King Ghidorah flew overhead. Garey ordered them to freeze and the monster flew on, not noticing them and seemingly distracted by something else.

"Well, we came here to fight big bad alien bad guys. They don't come any bigger, badder or more alien than him," Garey observed. Cillian, on the other hand, was horrified of the creature. If Ang was still alive, he would be a sitting duck for the space demon.

"Garey?" Cillian called out as the soldier motioned for them to stop. When his friend looked into his eyes, he knew what was coming next.

"Are you sure about this, Cillian?"

"Absolutely."

"Alright, then," Garey began to say as he walked up and clasped his hand. "Good luck, my friend." Cillian turned and ran off as the ex-soldier signaled his men to continue onward.

They had only gone a few hundred feet when blaster fire broke out, killing three of them instantly. The rest of the little squadron dove for cover amid the rubble.

"Hot damn! We've got us some action!" Garey squealed happily as more alien beams riddled the area. They quickly figured out the position of their attackers and came up with a plan of action.

Half of the force circled around the hostiles' location while the rest laid down a withering cover fire with the machine guns they had acquired.. Moving swiftly and silently, they soon discovered about half a dozen surviving Mysterians who had been left behind. They returned fire, unaware of the humans closing in behind them.

Gunfire and grenades quickly decimated their ranks. One of the last aliens left standing was tackled by the youngest member of the group, a 45-year old Gulf War vet who gave him a vicious head butt, shattering his helmet visor and forcing the broken shards into his screaming enemy's eyes. He then wrapped his arms around his neck and broke it with an abrupt twist. A few moments later, the area was cleared and Garey and the others regrouped.

"That was almost too easy," the young ex-National Guardsman gloated as Garey strode up to him with a stern look on his face.

"Soldier, that was dangerous, reckless, insane and you almost got yourself killed! What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't, sir."

"Fantastic! Keep up the good work!" Garey smiled.

"You hear that, guys? Garey says I'm insane. I'm officially one of you now."

"Bull shit! You ain't one of us 'til you start talking in your sleep and dive for cover whenever someone starts popping popcorn!" someone chided him.

"Jenkins, the reason you dive for cover when anyone makes popcorn is because you don't want them to know that when a microwave is turned on, you piss your pants and forget who you are for an hour or so," a third comrade teased.

"Hey, it ain't my fault! It's this metal plate in my head!" Jenkins barked back as they all burst out laughing.

Their levity was interrupted when more blaster fire suddenly came from another location, killing two. As the remaining force quickly hunkered down, some sort of projectile came down amongst them. One of the soldiers instinctively threw himself on top of it.

"Fire in the hole!" he shouted as his body shielded the others from the Mysterian explosive. As they scattered, more munitions came at them. A soldier carrying a satchel was hit and fell down. The others quickly found some cover and tried to get a bearing on the enemy. As Garey peeked out, he saw that the man who had been hit was still alive and crawling across the ground with his parcel in tow. A Mysterian rose up to fire at him but Garey easily picked him off.

"Cover him!" he ordered as the men showered the aliens' hiding place with bullets while the injured man got nearer to his objective. When he was close enough, he set the entire bag ablaze and lunged up, hurtling it over the charred wall the Mysterians had been using for cover. The Molotov cocktails it contained exploded on the other side, resulting in several unearthly screams. Engulfed in flames, Mysterians ran out into the open, only to be put out of their misery with easy head shots.

"Good job, men!" Garey grinned as he waved to the man responsible for their victory. He managed to wave back just before a graviton beam ripped across the landscape, disintegrating him instantly.

More beams followed, destroying everything that remained standing. The resulting explosions from the barrage killed a couple more men as they ran for their lives. Another was crushed by falling debris, leaving only Garey and one other trooper who dove into what remained of a partially blocked subway entrance.

"What the hell was that!" the ex-soldier cursed.

"Quiet! That was King Ghidorah," Garey hissed as he spotted the abomination flying around in the distance, loosing its beams in all directions.

"Does it know we're here?"

"No. It appears to be laying waste to everything it sees out of sheer spite but stay sharp." After a few moments, the space dragon moved to another part of the city and the two men left their hiding place.

They managed to cover a couple of blocks before a lone stranded Xian ambushed them, firing his blaster directly at Garey. His comrade threw himself in the way of an oncoming energy bolt before his partner's survival knife penetrated the alien's left sternum and pierced his heart. A .45 slug between the eyes quickly followed. Garey then quickly rushed to the soldier's side.

"Relax, son. I'm gonna get you outta here."

"No, you're not, sir... and... we both know I'm gonna die," he gasped. "But I can't think of a finer... way to go out."

"In a blaze of glory?" Garey asked him.

"In a blaze of glory," the dying ex-Army officer agreed with a smile as the light suddenly faded from his eyes. Nothing had terrified the aged veteran more than the thought of slowly rotting away, forgotten in some Old Soldiers' Home, his body afflicted by age and old war wounds.

To end his life as he did, with the dignity and pride of the soldier he once was, he attained his greatest and final wish.

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Nearby, Anguirus Junior was beginning to regain consciousness, his mind and his thoughts his own now that the Xians had severed their control and departed. He was still taking in his sudden new surroundings when King Ghidorah lumbered by. The disoriented kaiju blinked its eyes and slowly got up, shaking its head.

When he more clearly saw the titanic beast advancing toward him, he stared in awe and fear. Despite living on an island surrounded by other kaiju, those animals were peaceful and nowhere near as large as this creature.

"Oh my God..." Cillian gasped, running towards the two kaiju as fast as he could through the still-burning debris that littered the street.

When the two monsters' eyes met, Ang felt a shiver run down his spine as he cowered among the wreckage. Ghidorah was forced to squint as he looked at what he swore was a ghost from the past, a being he had watched die in Tokyo quite some time ago. But when he took a closer look, there were subtle differences, such as slightly smaller size and skin pigmentation, among other things.

Ghidorah snarled contemptuously. He would kill it as he had everything else that crossed his path between Hawaii and this now-barren place. As a golden glow began to emanate from the maw of his central head, Ang had no idea what was coming next but his instincts were literally shrieking at him to flee. It was then that a familiar voice yelled out just what he had been thinking.

"Ang! Run! RUN NOW!" Cillian screamed as the young Anguirusaurus' head snapped in his direction.

Ghidorah heard him as well and the serpentine head that was preparing to fire looked over at the human before releasing a gravity bolt. Cillian leaped through the air with a yell as the pavement behind him rippled up as if someone were shaking out a rug. He hit the concrete hard and rolled as Ang, terrified as he was, was even more fearful for the man.

The small quadruped turned back towards the hulking horror and with a defiant roar, summoned all the courage he could muster. Lunging at his much larger foe, Ang was blasted out of the way by another gravity ray when the three-headed nightmare focused its attention back on him.

As Anguirus went down, Cillian got back on his feet, clutching his right arm which he was pretty sure was now broken. He rushed toward a still-standing structure close to where the monsters were battling. As Anguirus lay motionless, the King of Terror strode up to his prone form to give it an almost playful kick.

"Surely that is not all it takes to fell you... Bah! Your species never could hold its own in a fight! Useless you are and as such, I will now end your life, refuse of this pitiful planet," Ghidorah grumbled in kaiju-speak as all three heads leaned down, preparing to hit the motionless saurian with a triple beam release that would no doubt kill it.

"Ang! NO!" Cillian bellowed fearfully as he peered out a broken window. It was then that Anguirus suddenly surged up, catching Ghidorah off guard and latching his jaws around the Skyllian's central neck, causing the alien dragon to cackle in surprise.

"No, Ang! You can't fight him! You have to run! Save yourself!" Cillian pleaded. Anguirus could hear him but refused to back down. As long as his human friend was in danger, he had to fight, no matter how badly this monstrosity dwarfed him.

The triple-domed destroyer swung his attacker completely around, trying to throw him off as the spiky armored beast hung on for dear life, his jaws locked as tight as a pit bull's. King Ghidorah brought his other two heads around so they could bite into Anguirus and pump burning energy through the smaller kaiju's body.

Ang winced in agony as the power that coursed through him seared his nervous system with pain unlike anything he had ever felt before but he still refused to relinquish his hold.

Cillian kicked open a door on the roof of the building and scrambled outside, almost tripping over his own feet.

Unable to take any more of the power King Ghidorah was generating, Anguirus Junior was finally overwhelmed by it. With a tormented wail, he finally let go and Ghidorah tossed him away. Cillian managed to let out a scream he heard just before he came crashing down on top of him and the building he was standing on, completely destroying it. As Ang came to rest in the rubble, he spun around, digging furiously through the debris until he found what little was left of Cillian. A tumult of varying emotions welled up within the monster who couldn't believe he had just killed his dearest friend.

Realizing what was happening, King Ghidorah began to cackle in what for him could pass for laughter. An angry Anguirusaurus quickly hurled itself at Cillian's true murderer, rolling up into his spiky carapace in mid-air. But before he could reach his target, a volley of gravity bolts tore into the soaring wrecking ball, knocking it out of the sky to come crashing back down once more.

Anguirus painfully pulled himself together as another blast blew the ground out from under him. He was thrown upward and plummeted back down yet again. He was badly injured and in dire straits but he wanted to kill King Ghidorah so badly that the rage and sorrow over Cillian's death consumed him, obscuring all instincts of self-preservation. He finally realized that alone, he stood no chance against this behemoth and reluctantly retreated, burrowing into the earth before another flood of beams could hit him.

"Yes, run, worthless pest! It was all your kind could ever do!" King Ghidorah screeched before returning to wiping out what little remained of the Nation's Capitol. But as the unearthly dragon moved past one of the few buildings still standing in the area, a Molotov cocktail shattered against the side of one of his necks. The weapon was utterly useless against him but it got his attention. A head turned in the direction it came from.

Standing on the roof of the remains of an office building was Garey Adams. As the kaiju narrowed his eyes to look upon this tiny creature, the lone G.I. lit the cigarette he had in his mouth and clicked on the MP3 player of his cell phone. After taking a long drag and blowing the smoke out, he waved at the immense beast before nonchalantly flipping him the bird with an ear-to-ear grin.

"Semper Fi, you ugly son of a bitch!" Befuddled by the human germ's bizarre behavior and simply not able to care less about such a creature, the Destroyer of Worlds turned away to resume his rampage. A single ray of electricity fired from one of his wing barbs obliterated the structure that Garey was standing on. Before the explosion consumed him and ended his life, he brought his right hand up to his forehead in a precise military salute with The Halls of Montezuma playing all the while.

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The former President of the United States looked up at Ghidorah as the great dragon blasted the remnants of Washington into dust. He sat cowering behind a piece of debris that had once been a part of the White House, knowing that the sweet embrace of death was about to end the misery that had slowly worked its way into his soul since the first alien attack on his country.

Other attempts over the years had been an indication that the end was far from over. He just never thought it would happen while he was in office and sighed deeply. What happened to the days when all a President had to worry about was economic reform and war in the Middle East?

Thoughts of the past brought tears to his eyes and memories of all the men and women who had made up his staff and were even his friends. He thought of how they were all killed by the merciless Space Force Directive. He had watched as Washington was destroyed by the Xians and the Mysterians as they fought each other, not caring about the buildings, lives and dreams that stood in their way. It was not for himself but for the world that he felt sorry for never before had such a disaster been set upon mankind.

Before all contact was finally cut off with Washington, the President had learned that swarms of Gyaos were sighted in South America and Europe, devouring everything in their path. Volcanos were erupting up and down the west coast of both Americas, destroying most of Mexico and what little of his own country the Directive hadn't levelled. The aliens had wiped out the U.S. and he knew from the start that they wouldn't stop there. None of the planet's threats would end until Earth was barren and inhospitable. Powers that mankind was helpless against had taken over and were battling for dominance. Nothing would ever stop them.

The President was bitter, unable to feel or care anymore. He was a broken man and he found his anger and hatred rising, threatening to consume what little sanity he had left when a strange feeling washed over him. It was an unfamiliar one in these times of turmoil, one he thought he would never experience again. It was HOPE.

What looked like a moth but nearly the size of his head had given him renewed energy. It glowed brilliantly and floated down towards him, displaying an almost unearthly beauty, dispersing and being replaced by an image of two tiny twin women. The President gasped, recognizing them instantly. The bright, peaceful colors of their clothes contrasted sharply to the dead earth and rubble that surrounded the Elias.

"Do not be afraid," the one dressed in blue said reassuringly.

"You have led your people with dignity and have never withered before the face of death," the other added. Ghidorah shrieked somewhere above and all three of them looked up at the tyrannical beast as it stomped towards them.

"But... I have failed my people... I have failed the world. Why did this have to happen to me?" the President managed to stammer. The Elias looked at one another, then Lora spoke.

"You did the best you could. The best of us still fail sometimes." She looked past him as a strange expression came over her face. "We... " she began but fell silent, her head hanging low.

"We have failed as well," Moll finished for her sister. "Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to stop what has been set in motion. But we will still fight on as best we can. It is all any of us can do.

"Do not fear death now. Earth is yet to fall under the oppression of these invaders. The Kilaaks seek to destroy this planet completely but we will make sure they never accomplish their goals. We cannot let them do it, not even if it means giving our own lives in the process," she said firmly, speaking volumes to the President.

He nodded, wiping his face and smiling at the Elias. A massive cackling bellow sounded very near. They looked up to see King Ghidorah standing over them. The golden creature raised its massive foot and moved it over the President and the Elias. The once most important man in the world turned towards the twin sisters, a look of peace on his face.

"Thank you," he said as the mentally-portrayed image of the Elias disappeared and Ghidorah extinguished his life, giving him the one thing he never thought he would ever feel again: Freedom.

Ghidorah threw his heads into the sky and cackled once more. He could sense that the Elias he felt were just a mental projection of their physical bodies but it still pleased him to think about crushing them under his feet.

Beams of gravity and electricity blasted through the last remains of Washington before the brilliantly shining space beast rose into the sky. There was nothing left of this place to gain any pleasure from. His anger rose again as he looked westward, sensing Godzilla's trail towards the interior of the continent. Ghidorah snarled as he began to follow it once more.

He would kill Godzilla and then destroy what was left of this miserable little planet and all who thought to claim it as their own. A cold resolve settled in Ghidorah's mind as he thought of Tuket who had betrayed him. There was only one reasonable punishment for that and he knew he must be the one to execute that punishment, no matter how much he wanted to converse with his long-lost son.

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Back in the burning metropolis that was once the District of Columbia, no one realized that Godzilla Junior was still alive, despite the Xians leaving him for dead. With their control severed, he found himself in a state of confusion as to where he was, what was going on and the grievous injuries he now had.

All he knew was that he was in great pain and was some place unfamiliar. He sniffed the air and the scent of the ocean caught his nostrils. Trying to move, he found himself pinned down. Just then, a large shadow loomed over him.

It was Anguirus Junior who had finally recovered himself. He crawled in close and helped dig Godzilla out of the rubble. Painfully, he pulled his ravaged body from the debris he had been partially buried in and staggered toward the coast with Anguirus at his side. If not for his regeneration, the injuries the young Godzilla had sustained would have killed him.

The two kaiju stopped for a moment as they looked upon the mauled bodies of creatures they had regarded once as friends at Monsterland. Now, the two of them were all that remained. After letting out a mournful cry, they proceeded onward.

Reaching the Potomac River, Godzilla literally fell into it. He would follow it to the Atlantic and in the ocean's depths, he hoped he would heal in time. Anguirus stayed close by his friend all the while, never once leaving his side.

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Traveling along the Maryland/Pennsylvania border, Godzilla suddenly found himself drawn toward a plain in the southwestern tip of Pennsylvania where it was obvious that a battle of some kind had taken place. His acute hearing picked up the sound of a heartbeat coming from the leveled remnants of a once-proud mountain. His dorsal plates glowed as streams of radioactive fire blasted away at the rubble to reveal a broken and battered form beneath - Gamera.

The Guardian of the Universe slowly opened his eyes to look up at Godzilla standing over him. "Godzilla?" Gamera asked with surprise. "You look rather well for someone supposedly dead."

"Who are you?" the Monster King demanded warily.

"I am Gamera..." the huge terrapin rasped as Godzilla's dorsal plates began to glow once more. "You are going to attack me now, after digging me out? Can you not distinguish between friend and foe?"

"I have no friends, nor do I need them. It is I against the world as it has always been."

"I suppose I am in no condition to argue..."

"What caused this? What happened here? You will tell me," the kaiju king pressed him bluntly.

"The Space Force Directive."

"I know not of what you speak."

"Aliens. Ships. MOGERA. King Kong." Gamera rattled off the list. The last entry struck a chord of recognition in Godzilla's brain as his eyes narrowed.

"Kong is dead. I have slain him."

Gamera nodded. "Good. Did you destroy them all?"

"All who got in my way."

"I see... Where are you headed now?"

"It is no concern of yours. All that matters is that I destroy these invaders who have dared to lay claim to my world and challenge me."

"I would help you if I could."

"No. This is my battle to wage alone and I will see them all burn before me!" he growled before slowly turning and walking off.

Gamera attempted to stand but barely had the strength to move. The attack of the AZAG-THOTH had nearly killed him and for a few scant moments, he thought he was dead. As he lay back down awaiting the return of his power, he pondered what had transpired and the future as well.

From the east, he could sense the ever-expanding shadow of the Gyaos. It was time he resumed his true mission and when he did return, he swore to himself that their blood would cake his hands.

_Bug Attack_

A horde of Black Scorpions that had managed to evade capture by the Mysterian/human squads moved across the countryside. They believed themselves to be safe and the new master predators of this land, little realizing that they were about to cross paths with one very angry saurian behemoth that would dispute their claim.

Godzilla heard an odd sound like nothing he had ever encountered before. The rustling of the giant insects' legs and a bizarre chorus of hooting cricket-like howls filled the air. As they came over the hill, they spotted Godzilla and froze, their eerie ensemble of vocals ceasing as they eyed the giant creature cautiously. Godzilla did likewise and for many moments, all was quiet.

"SHRIIIIEEEEEKKKKKK!" the scorpions suddenly cried out in unison as they scrambled toward the kaiju king in a blitz of jabbing stingers and clacking claws. Despite being dwarfed in size, they swarmed over Godzilla, covering him from head to toe and stinging away, not realizing that their stingers were not strong or sharp enough to penetrate their so-called prey's hide.

Godzilla roared in agitation as he clawed and swiped at himself, swinging this way and that trying to rid himself of his attackers. Growing frustrated, his dorsal plates lit up. Those that had been clinging to his back were instantly incinerated while others ran down the monster's sides, scampering toward the ground.

Others were pulled or thrown off of him as Godzilla reared back and unleashed a wave of atomic breath that mowed through the insects, obliterating them left and right. He continued doing this until only burnt and decimated body parts remained.

A second wave appeared over the horizon, rushing toward him. The ground itself shook and trembled as the arachnid stampede scurried along. It wasn't until larger Black Scorpions burst forth from the ground that Godzilla realized the intense quaking was being caused by them.

They proceeded to attack and cannibalize their smaller kin as they scattered in panic with Godzilla looking on until they spotted him. One easily half his size charged forward as radioactive fire struck it head on. Three more blasts were needed to drop it before it reached him. Right behind it, one as large as Godzilla darted in, clasping his arms in its pincers to restrain him as it raised its stinger.

The kaiju blasted it with his breath as the stinger punctured Godzilla's neck, succeeding where its under-sized brethren had failed. He let out a half-roar, half-scream in surprise. Pain gave way to anger as he lunged forward, snapping his reptilian jaws shut on its head and crushing it. The giant dropped and went limp, releasing his arms.

The larger scorpions appeared to be resistant to his breath beam and more radioactivity in general. It seemed that tooth and claw would best deal with these bothersome pests. When another stinger pierced Godzilla's back, an angry bleat of pain escaped the monstrous saurian's lips. He reached up to grab the stinger, ripping it free to swing his attacker over his head before slamming it down hard onto the ground.

He then tore the offensive tail barb from the Black Scorpion to stab it down through the head of another one that lunged at him, pinning it to the ground. The tail-less scorpion righted itself and charged again, only to have Godzilla punch his fist through it's head, shattering it easily.

A giant that dwarfed the others snatched the kaiju up in one pincer, lifting him off the ground. All the other scorpions fled, leaving it and the now prone Monster King alone on the field of battle. Suspended in the air, Godzilla's eyes locked upon a stinger large enough to run him through as it heaved back to strike.

The kaiju managed to catch it in his hands, stopping it from puncturing him. Summoning his great strength, Godzilla finally managed to snap it off. Retaliating, the Herculean insect abruptly stuffed him into his open maw head first, attempting to eat him alive. A split second later, the few dorsal plates that still could be seen on the bottom half of the monster's body began to glow.

The prodigious bug's thorax exploded as a fist burst forth through the top of its head, followed shortly by the rest of it being ripped in half as Godzilla clawed his way out before dropping to the ground. As he got back up, what remained of the mammoth scorpion crumpled about him in mangled pieces.

Godzilla strode up to the mutilated carcass and placed his foot upon it, issuing a challenging roar. Having bore witness to this display of power, the remaining Black Scorpions retreated, wanting no part of this creature they once perceived as prey. It was obviously far more trouble than it was worth.

The Monster King stepped away from his fallen adversary, only to stagger slightly as a result of the scorpion venom coursing through his veins. His G-cells would soon counteract it and purge it from his body.

All was suddenly quiet and calm again as Godzilla snorted his disapproval of these creatures that had assailed him. Looking about the area, he proceeded on his way west.

_Ground Zero_

General Kulkan's warship, the HELLRAISER, began an approach vector toward the area of the former United States known as Yellowstone National Park. The Kilaaks had found a massive magma chamber sufficient to wipe out the humans that had once dominated this continent, as well as get rid of the Mysterians who had conquered them.

All over the world, similar sites in Sumatra, Japan, Italy, New Zealand and Antarctica were being prepared to be activated. When they all were opened at once, the sheer heat being pumped into the atmosphere would begin a chain reaction which would lead to the demise of the disgusting 'spirit' of the Earth itself.

Kulkan's pride in the Kilaak race was interrupted when a familiar roar was picked up by the ship's sensors and fed to the speakers on the bridge. A look of frustration ran across his face.

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Godzilla glanced into the afternoon sky and let out a rolling roar but there was no answer. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something approaching. As it got closer, he recognized it as one of the alien ships. An enemy That was all the insight he needed.

The monster swung his tail in agitation as he prepared to fire at it. When the Kilaak vessel nimbly evaded his beams, Godzilla growled in anger as he followed it with his eyes. It seemed to want something - to complete some unfinished task but he did not care. All he wanted to do was get rid of all these invaders to his planet and finally be able to rest in peace. The ship swung around the side of a mountain and Godzilla growled in frustration as he began to follow it.

He then saw something else to capture his attention, glinting brilliantly in the sun. The behemoth squinted at the intense light and was able to make out a form. The entity had two massive bat-like wings and five slithering appendages. Godzilla involuntarily shuddered with unadulterated hate. He knew what this thing was. The beast's evil cackling laughter crawled across the plain like locusts and echoed off the mountains, washing him in another flood of hatred. His fists clenched. Godzilla knew what this thing was as it had nearly killed him not too long ago.

As he had learned the hard way during their last encounter, this wasn't the King Ghidorah of old, a creature that at one time he could best in a one-on-one confrontation. It had now become a far more powerful adversary, one that now out-matched and out-classed him but Godzilla didn't care. His rage and hatred for the space dragon denied all logic or reason. King Ghidorah knew this as well and intended to take advantage of it. He had returned to his arch nemesis to finally finish what he had started so long ago.

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General Kulkan stared intently as King Ghidorah's golden visage filled his viewscreen. "Sir, what should we do?" the pilot asked.

"Take us to one Earth mile above the surface but do not leave the area. These beasts will ignore us as long as they both stand on the same field of battle."

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A massive golden foot slammed into the ground with the force of an earthquake. King Ghidorah bellowed a mocking challenge at his mortal enemy. Godzilla responded in kind to the abomination from beyond the stars and the combined sound waves from their vocal duel shook loose rocks from the nearby mountains. The two Kings attempted to stare one another down but neither was weak enough in mind or spirit to back away from the other's challenge.

"So be it... " Ghidorah hissed in anger and anticipation.

Godzilla was the first to strike. The Monster King charged the space dragon, digging his claws into Ghidorah's sides and body-slamming him into the ground. King Ghidorah let out a chorus of angry cackles and swung himself back into a standing position, using his power over gravity. Godzilla was thrown off of him, crashing hard into the ground several hundred meters away. He quickly stood up, shaking the dirt and dust off himself as King Ghidorah's eyes flashed red.

Beams of gravitic distortion filled the air around him with static and created the distinct scent of ozone. They also blasted huge chunks out of the mountainside above the King of the Monsters. Godzilla bent down, allowing his spines to take the brunt of the avalanche. He bellowed angrily at Ghidorah as he rose from this would-be tomb, kicking the rubble away as King Ghidorah flapped his mighty wings and rose into the sky.

The Destroyer of Worlds threw his lower body forward, driving his clawed toes into Godzilla's face and pounding both of his club tails into the back of his neck. Godzilla found himself being slammed face first into the ground again before he had a chance to react. He attempted to rise but Ghidorah was quickly on top of him and pinning him down.

Flesh-ridden teeth sank into Godzilla's rock-hard scaly flesh. He shrieked in pain as millions of volts of electricity were blasted through his body, tearing apart muscles and nerves which were regenerated quickly, only to be torn apart again. He squirmed futilely as King Ghidorah began to drive the talons of his feet into his back, freeing one of his heads so that he could tear open a wound and drink the monster's radioactive blood before it could seal up again.

Godzilla continued to bellow in agony but unfortunately for the King of Terror, pain only equaled anger to the mighty reptile. His spines began to flash a brilliant shade of blue. King Ghidorah would have smiled if he could have at seeing Godzilla face down on the ground. There was no way he could be harmed by the creature's beam now.

But Godzilla did not plan to use his beam. The brilliant display began to flicker erratically as he held the rising energy in. His eyes flashed blindingly and strange streaks of hypnotic power seemed to tear open holes in his body. Ghidorah stared in wonder until a gigantic shockwave of nuclear energy blasted outward from Godzilla's prone body. The space monster was tossed through the air, violently crashing into the ground nearby. Godzilla rose to his feet and bellowed an avenging cry of war.

King Ghidorah had had enough. The Destroyer of Worlds rushed Godzilla, grabbing him in his two side sets of jaws and wrapping his center neck around the creature's own. Ghidorah lifted off the ground, carrying both his weight and that of his Earth-bound enemy. Godzilla struggled to breathe and futilely attempted to beat King Ghidorah away even as the creature continued to electrocute him. Ghidorah just sneered and began to rise to dangerous heights.

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Aboard the HELLRAISER, General Kulkan watched as King Ghidorah and Godzilla rose up into the sky. This could very well be the end of Godzilla as no creature would be able to survive a fall that great. Although he was very interested in what would happen to both monsters, he could find out later. Right now, he had a mission to accomplish.

"Activate the Volcano Ray. The final blow to this planet is at hand." All around the world, the order was relayed to Kilaak ships positioned near similar massive magma chambers. Each eruption would be equivalent to an asteroid impact. Not much would be left of the Earth's surface once the ash and dust settled. At Yellowstone, a red glow began to form along the bottom of Kulkan's ship.

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When he felt that the time was right, Ghidorah violently threw the King of the Monsters back towards his planet of origin. To add insult to injury, he pile-drived the leviathan for several hundred meters, staring victory into Godzilla's hate-filled eyes as they exceeded the speed of sound. Ghidorah broke off from the descent several hundred meters above the ground to watch the imminent demise of this persistent enemy.

"Have fun in hell!" he cackled. It was then that he saw the reflection of the sun on the Kilaak ship and the red beam that was starting to emerge from its underside. Ghidorah's eyes expanded and the creature cried out in horror. How had he not seen the ship before?

His hopes were crushed as Godzilla fell directly into the path of the beam. The three-headed beast watched helplessly as the saurian received a massive charge of energy that he himself had only had a partial taste of. Godzilla soon fell out of the beam, the rest of it blasting into its intended destination, somewhere deep below the Earth. The kaiju's huge body slammed into the ground, throwing up a cloud of dust and leaving a good-sized crater. An unnerving silence fell over the area.

General Kulkan was shocked by what had happened. "St... status..." he finally stammered.

"Sir? I do not know. The magma chamber is rumbling but it may take longer to erupt than we had hoped." Kulkan whirled on the Kilaak pilot.

"Do I look like I care about the magma chamber right now? You know as well as I do what THAT beam did to THAT monster!" He pointed his finger at the image of King Ghidorah on one of the screens. "Have you even thought about what it could do for Godzilla?" The Kilaak was too afraid to answer. Instead, he turned and watched the scene with an intense hope that they had killed him rather than empowering him.

Below, a massive black-clawed fist rose out of the dust of the crater and slammed back into the Earth. It was followed by another one. Glowing red orbs appeared behind the slowly settling curtain of debris, staring hatred for everything that lay before them. As the creature rose, changes began to take place within his huge body. Arteries started to bulge and glow as red, boiling-hot energy flowed through them, energy so strong as to break several blood vessels, causing pools of glowing ooze to form around his shoulders, chest and thighs. Large patches of bright orange, red and yellow contrasted with his normally black-hued hide.

The very infrastructure of Godzilla was burning with intense molten energy. His heart began malfunctioning, sending too much radiation through his body while consuming excessive amounts at the same time. Bloody foam began to form in the monster's throat as his eyes turned a similar color, the irises virtually disappearing behind the glowing energy.

Godzilla's spines slowly changed from bone-white to an eerie shade of orange-red. Vents around his shoulders split open, pouring out clouds of steam and smoke as his body attempted to cool itself down.

The Monster King did not know what was happening to him. All he knew was that he felt the worst pain ever bestowed upon a living creature of this Earth. He was dying and reviving at the same time. Every muscle, blood vessel and burst organ in his body continuously healed itself instantly and then broke again, the process repeating itself over and over. For several moments, he convulsed violently but pain did not slow down such a mighty beast as Godzilla. Pain was rage and rage was power to him. His red eyes quickly turned to the sky.

King Ghidorah, attempting to get a better look at what was happening, had inadvertently lowered himself right into Godzilla's grasp. Before the space dragon could react, Godzilla grabbed a boulder nearly as big as himself and hurled it at the three serpentine heads with one glowing hand. Ghidorah was flipped through the air and fell like the rock thrown at him. Godzilla was quickly on top of him, grabbing one of his mighty wings.

The Skyllan kicked him in the gut but the leviathan didn't even feel the attack, picking up the beast by his wing and swinging the abomination around, mercilessly scraping and slamming his heads against the ground while doing so. Finally, Godzilla threw the shrieking golden beast through the air, straight towards the HELLRAISER.

The General's eyes bugged out as he knew that it was too late to take evasive action. Ghidorah's massive golden hide slammed the Kilaak warship, creating an explosion that scarred his chest and burned his leathery wings as he fell back to the earth below.

"Major hull damage, sir!"

"Open fire!" Kulkan ordered as the HELLRAISER unleashed its arsenal, hitting Godzilla hard as he crashed to the ground. He was back up again a few moments later, roaring angrily.

"Hit him again!" Kulkan ordered but their efforts only served to agitate the great beast further.

"Don't let up on him! Blast him to cinders until nothing remains but a crater!" he spat as Godzilla became completely obscured by the flames and smoke caused by the bombardment. After five minutes, Kulkan finally gave the order to cease the attack but they could not immediately assess the results of their handiwork.

Suddenly, a pair of glowing red eyes could be seen within the inferno as Kulkan realized with horror that Godzilla was still alive and well. A moment later, a blast of radioactive fire struck the HELLRAISER with crippling impact.

"Damage report!" Kulkan yelled over the chaos as the bridge crew began to panic.

"He has penetrated all three layers of the ship's armor with one shot and damaged the primary power core!" Godzilla then proceeded to pelt the ship with a barrage of blasts, taking it apart with each subsequent strike. The hull was breached in several places but the command bridge was sealed off by emergency systems that protected it from the outside elements. At some point, the flight and hover stabilizers were destroyed and the craft began to spin wildly out of control.

"We're going to crash!" the navigator screamed as the mighty HELLRAISER, the most powerful ship in the Kilaak empire, finally plummeted to the ground with earthshaking force. Godzilla began to lumber toward his fallen attacker, intending to finish it off once and for all.

On the main bridge, Kulkan regained his footing as a glitch-filled image of the monster king appeared on the main viewscreen. Outside, Godzilla's dorsal plates glowed once more and Kulkan knew that the end had indeed come.

He could only take comfort in the knowledge that soon, the sleeping giant beneath the battling titans' feet would awaken and its unimaginable power would bring him and all the Kilaaks on this planet back to their rightful perfect state. Finally, Godzilla expelled a concentrated beam on the crippled ship and it went up in an incredible explosion.

Below, Godzilla bellowed. His voice had deepened, with a much more terrifying pitch than ever before. The sheer animalistic cry of war caused Ghidorah's very bones to vibrate as he lay stunned on the ground. The Earth monster's back plates flashed with molten fire and a stream of intense red nuclear energy blasted from his mouth, searing his gums with the hideous levels of heat.

Ghidorah instinctively threw up his wings to protect himself but the beam tore through them like paper, blasting off four of his wing claws and 20 meters of leathery tissue. The space dragon stared dumbfounded at the wounds and angrily blasted Godzilla with gravity beams and lightning from his remaining wing fingers.

Godzilla twitched but the constant pain he felt inside nearly nullified all outside ailments. The saurian behemoth slowly but surely approached King Ghidorah as the golden terror continued to attempt to halt his progress with electricity and gravitic distortion, inadvertently starting to back away from the dinosaur as he got closer. Godzilla waded through the bombardment as if he were merely being rained upon.

King Ghidorah finally laid off the energy assault and leapt into the air, figuring it was in his own best interest to get away from the newly empowered King of Monsters and live to fight another day. It was too little and far too late for the King of Terror as Godzilla grabbed his twin tails in his bone-white talons and yanked the space dragon down with such force that he broke both of his legs.

Falling backwards, King Ghidorah screamed in pain and surprise. Godzilla placed his foot against his chest, holding him down as he reached for one of his three slithering, snapping heads. He finally got a hold on the middle one as the other two locked their jaws on his arms, attempting to pull them from their sockets. Godzilla squeezed Ghidorah's center neck with his mighty fists before pulling it towards him. He held it in place for a moment, staring with contempt into its evil eyes before crushing the skull in his burning, bloody jaws.

Blood, bone fragments and bits of brain matter flowed from Godzilla's mouth as he continued to savage the appendage. Ghidorah's other two heads released their electric grips on his arms to scream in agony. The Monster King tugged at the center neck furiously, the sickening sounds of snapping bone and ripping flesh echoing off the mountains until he finally delivered a precision blast of his beam to the base, severing the appendage completely.

One of Ghidorah's overzealous heads attempted to sink its teeth into Godzilla's eyelid but he grabbed its forked tongue with his right hand and with a single downward motion, removed it, as well as the lower jaw. Ghidorah's other head shrieked in pain as the beast once again attempted to fly away but Godzilla's feet were planted firmly on one of his tails and the shattered remains of his right wing, holding him down and refusing to let go.

The true King began to charge another beam. Godzilla was pouring all the energy he had into this one and Ghidorah well knew it. He shrieked and with a cry of pain and hatred, blasted his own wing and tail off to free himself. Godzilla fell backwards as the appendages fell away from Ghidorah's convulsing body. The once proud King of Terror screamed in pain even as he rose into the air as fast as his remaining wing and anti-gravity could carry him, still on his back.

Godzilla let loose his beam, blowing a chunk out of Ghidorah's side and slamming him into a mountainside. The shattered space dragon was forced to move his jawless head down next to the wound to keep his entrails from falling out.

The King of the Monsters held up his trophy that was once Ghidorah's middle head, sneered and tossed it aside. Godzilla bellowed, a sound that shook the ground itself. Locating its previous owner attempting to fly over the Absaroka Range, he fired one more beam of red-hot molten flame at the vanquished King Ghidorah. Godzilla found it fun terrorizing the beast for as long as his beam could reach him.

When the barrage let up, Ghidorah could no longer feel his left leg. The space demon was seared and battered horribly. His left wing was burnt beyond recognition and his right, simply incinerated. Blindly, the creature pushed through the atmosphere, moving like a drunk across the sky. Ghidorah's reign of terror had come to an end.

Godzilla slammed his foot into the ground and spread his arms to the sky as he let loose a roar that would be recorded as the loudest sound ever made by a living being. The behemoth's victory cry was short-lived, however, and quickly degenerated into a series of pained hoots and growls as he grabbed futilely at his glowing chest.

He was dying, a fact which made him even angrier. Blasts of molten energy seared the already ruined landscape as he attempted to vent his rage and relieve the pain but nothing besides the sweet embrace of death itself would ever grant Godzilla his wish. For now, he had hell to pay the unwanted guests on his world.

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Several miles beneath his feet, a monster stirred. It was one of several of its kind that had only risen to the surface world several times in the past. Now, it had been awakened once more.

The Yellowstone super volcano began to expand as gas and magma filled its lair. Unlike most monsters, there would be no escape from this one. The huge underground sea had been filling with magma for 640,000 years. Now, the ground had swelled even further, with most of the area around it being uplifted by the caldera.

The Kilaaks' hideous ray had done its job as the fragile layer of rock broke and magma was flung more than 50 kilometers into the air. Within a thousand kilometers, virtually all life was killed by falling ash, lava flows and the sheer explosive force of the eruption, 2,000 times that of Mount St. Helens. It was the loudest noise heard by mankind in more than 74,000 years when the Toba super volcano in Indonesia erupted.

Volcanic ash shot into the atmosphere and blocked out the sun before covering areas thousands of miles away. Temperatures in the western half of the United States quickly fell over 20 degrees which alone would cause massive food shortages within a year but there wouldn't be much need to worry about that.

Huge clouds of dust, sulfuric acid and poisonous gases made it almost impossible to breathe. None of this concerned the Kilaaks because they were planet killers. When the surface of the Earth had been destroyed, they intended to sterilize it for good measure. Besides, the ground would be covered with layers of molten rock. One thousand cubic kilometers of lava, enough to coat the entire U.S. a few inches thick, poured out of what had once been the Midway Geyser but now was a raging volcano.

Within minutes of the eruption, tens of thousands were dead as the Long Valley in eastern California, Taupo in New Zealand and another super volcano beneath Loch Ness, Scotland added their fury to hell on Earth. Rivers of fire spread a million cubic kilometers of lava from the Deccan Traps in southern India and a third of the sub-continent was once again covered. Near Bombay, the lava was soon two kilometers thick.

King Karkaru would no doubt be pleased.

_Death at the North Pole Base_

The King of the Mysterians fled down a restricted-access passageway. Most of his guards were dead while those still alive were more concerned with trying to get out of the facility than saving their leader. Outside, the Xian army and their kaiju were tearing the place apart.

At the end of the corridor was a small dock, specifically designed for situations like this. It contained three Mysterian saucers, well away from the base and deep underground. The alien overlord had never thought this addition would be of any use and had even considered having the area refurbished for some other purpose. Luckily for him, his arrogance hadn't won out this time.

An explosion somewhere in the main base threw Koban to the floor. The emergency lights flashed a violent red and a siren was constantly blasting over the intercom system which somehow still remained working. He roared a thousand curses to whoever and whatever came to mind as he got to his feet and continued toward the gate.

As much as Koban hated to admit it, he had lost the Earth. Decades of planning and preparation were dissolving all around him. His dream of domination over races would be watered down to nothing more than a few pages in a history book. He would be nothing more than a name on a list of creatures that had tried to conquer the blue planet, just like his father. This infuriated him the most.

From down the hall near the War Bridge came another Mysterian but heading in the opposite direction. In the heat of anger, Koban didn't recognize Tara until she had nearly passed him. It took a few seconds for her image to connect to who she was in his mind. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned to see her darting down the passageway.

In his insane anger, Koban partly blamed her for what was happening and would exact revenge! She needed to die, this vile, pathetic excuse for a woman whose bumbling had always led to his embarrassment! Koban spun around and chased after her.

Running as fast as her nimble legs could carry her, Tara looked over her shoulder to see her husband gaining on her. He reached out and grabbed her hair, then slung her around into the wall face first, the impact breaking her nose and knocking out a tooth. The tyrant then punched her in the face, only intensifying the pain. Grabbing her by the throat, he started choking the life out of her as she weakly flung her fists at him.

Tara tried to scream for help but her trachea was slowly collapsing. She pleaded with tear-streaming eyes for him to stop, trying to apologize for actions she had no part in. The monster only tightened his grip.

"KOBAN!" roared a voice behind him. "RELEASE HER NOW!"

Who would dare demand something of him? The maniac turned to face this intruder and was shocked to find that he was still alive. Many would have interpreted his reaction it as FEAR, something Koban was not going to show him! He never had and he wouldn't now. With Tara's throat still clutched in his hands, he slowly turned around.

"Release her!" the huge Mysterian demanded. "Do it now, Koban!"

"Or you will do what, Darius?" the King replied coldly. Kugo unsheathed the sword on his belt and held it by his side with the tip touching the ground. A shower of sparks burst forth overhead as some electrical device short-circuited. The lights dimmed the entire length of the passage, red emergency lights flickering off the surface of Kugo's yellow armor, making it appear as red as Koban's. Even through the helmets they both wore, the King could feel his General's cold stare. He threw Tara to the ground where she lay on her back, gasping for air.

"Get out of here," Kugo told her, never taking his eyes off Koban. Shakily at first, she staggered to her feet and laid a hand on Kugo's shoulder plate.

"Thank you," she whispered before running down the passage. When Tara had rounded the corner, Koban noticed that Darius had not sheathed his weapon.

"So, old man," he sneered. "You wish to fight me, do you?"

"Your days of tyranny are over, Koban! You have killed thousands of our people with your pathetic lust for power. You have enslaved them to do your bidding while you sat back with your great riches. Never once did you care about them or stop to think how many died from you working them to death.

"And now this! Our very future - our existence, destroyed because of your sad jealousies against other races. I will not allow my people to suffer anymore. It ends here!"

"I showed that our people could be dominant and a force to be reckoned with! I made us invoke fear into the hearts of the humans and the other races of the universe! I made the Mysterians legendary!"

"You were only in it for yourself and you know it. Quit trying to save this charade! I have known you since your birth. I trained you! I know you perfectly, Koban."

"Yes, you did train me," agreed the King slyly, pulling his cape back to reveal the sword on his belt. "And I have surpassed you in skill, old man. Ironic, isn't it, that you should meet your demise at the hand of your student?"

Koban's sword came out of its scabbard with a hiss as Kugo raised his own in the air. Quickly, a shower of sparks flew between them. Koban leaped through the air, swinging his sword at the General's head. Kugo blocked and parried the wicked blade, both pieces of ancient metal ringing with a sound that echoed throughout the corridor.

Koban had turned while airborne and landed with his back to Kugo. Turning to meet Darius' sword, he swung his weapon around his head to swipe down at him. The General jumped backwards, his torso just out of reach. With both hands, he brought his sword down toward Koban's head. The King blocked horizontally, clashing their blades together once more.

The smaller Mysterian dove under his adversary's legs as Kugo swiped at him once more. Before he could recover, Koban was on his feet and gave a hard kick to his back, causing the General to topple to the ground. The King jumped in the air to land a kick to his ribs but Kugo was too fast for him.

Darius rolled onto his back and caught the oncoming foot in his hands, heaving Koban to the right where he slammed against the wall. Both Mysterians regained their feet at the same time and ran at each other, meeting sword-to-sword in the middle of the passageway. The fury of their attacks and blocks rang out as metal clashed repeatedly.

Taking advantage of Kugo's greater height, Koban ducked down and went for his legs. Darius anticipated the move and jumped over the slashing blade before it could have sliced off his feet. However, it did not miss entirely and took off the tip of his boot.

As Kugo came back down, he kicked the injured foot straight into Koban's visor. The impact somersaulted the King across the floor where he executed one of his own to get out of the way of his enemy's oncoming blade which caught the edge of his cape.

Koban quickly got back on his feet to face the General. The kick to his face had knocked a hole in his visor and cracked the bridge of his nose. Kugo now sped toward him, whirling his blade in front of him. Koban had no idea where it would strike until he was on top of him. Instinct took over and Koban swung his weapon outward, stopping both over their heads.

To keep the General from cleaving down on him, he had to add his other hand to the hilt of his sword but Kugo inched his sword closer and closer to his face. His massive muscles added to the height advantage as he bore down to seal the King's fate once and for all. With the blade two inches from his face, a rush of adrenaline for one last ditch effort let Koban thrust his sword upward, staggering Kugo long enough for him to get away. When the General brought his sword down, it only struck the hard metal floor.

Kugo had to leave his weapon stuck in the floor to roll away from an oncoming swipe from Koban. It sliced open his right arm, causing him to let out a grunt of pain. The giant quickly stood up and ran head first at Koban who attempted a swing. The oncoming juggernaut swallowed him up in his massive arms before once again smashing him into the wall. The impact knocked the breath out of him.

The enraged Mysterian then hoisted Koban onto his shoulder and ran toward the opposite wall before hurling him into it, breaking two of Koban's ribs. Kugo was about to line up another target and repeat the process when a huge explosion went off about 200 yards from their location. That area burst into flames. All electrical circuits switched to emergency power, the lighting now an eerie blue while the warning signals continued flashing red. The force of it knocked Kugo off his feet and Koban from his grasp.

The entire base shook for several seconds afterwards. Koban lost his footing and fell against the door leading to the War Bridge. He went inside as Kugo retrieved his sword and followed. All around were massive chunks of metal which had broken off from the ceiling high above. Many of the computer systems were out of commission, showing fuzzy images or simply colors and useless symbols. Most of the Bridge had been cut off from the primary one.

The gigantic board used for battle plans and proposed courses of action now had a vertical crack running up to the top of the screen which displayed a distorted image of the newly re-aligned former United States. Many of the lights were out as Kugo looked around for any sign of the King. A blow from the hilt of Koban's sword suddenly hit him from the left. Kugo swung around, locking blades with his attacker. Koban's furious assault forced him further into the War Bridge until he was next to the raised platform that was his usual post. Their swords clashing, the tyrant forced him up the hill-like structure. At the top, Kugo jumped over the railing onto his seat, putting him a good three feet over his opponent. In a single bound, Koban landed directly in front of him and slashed upwards at Kugo's legs. He jumped in the air, just as his enemy planned.

The tyrant leaped upward as Darius was coming down and when his feet were parallel to his chest, he kicked out, causing the General to fall on his back against the stairs. Kugo rolled down them head over heels before landing in a heap on the floor below. He barely got to one knee with his blade up to block the King's relentless assault. He parried and rose to his feet.

So quick were their attacks that they were nearly running across the floor, slicing at one another in a constant flurry of steel. Koban jumped onto a row of computer consoles to keep from being forced into the wall. Kugo swung at him but his target did a flip over his head, the sword going through the machinery instead, causing an array of sparks and electrical explosions that temporarily blinded him. When spots stopped appearing before his eyes, Darius turned around to find the tyrant not five inches away as something shoved its way into his abdomen. Looking down, he saw Koban's sword a good several inches into his gut. Red blood, appearing black in the blue emergency lighting, was starting to ooze out onto his yellow armor.

Kugo dropped his weapon in shock which Koban kicked out of his reach. The General sunk to his knees and reached for his blaster but Koban grabbed it to toss away. The King looked down at him as he took off his helmet.

"Look at me, Darius," he said with a dark grimace on his face. "Look at the last thing you will ever see. I would take my sword back but I think it has a better home where it is. I never was one for relics anyway, especially you. Now it appears I have killed two birds with one stone."

Kugo said nothing as he glared hatefully at his enemy. He tried going for Koban's throat with his hands but in his weakening condition, they were simply batted away. The War Bridge again shook violently, more chunks of metal falling from the ceiling. Nearly all the monitor screens went out as more electrical surges burst forth from them. Koban glanced around at the destruction, then back to Kugo.

"Well, Darius, I bid you goodbye. I realize now that I should have killed you a long time ago, like I did with the others of your kind. I will give you the decency to die on your precious Bridge. At least history will give you some kind of honor, - if I so see fit when I return home." Koban gave his subordinate one last shove to the chest before leaving the War Bridge and heading toward the emergency dock.

When Koban reached the end of the passage, the voice-activated steel doors which were usually sealed until they recognized a command were open, possibly caused by the attack on the base. The docks had also not been spared from the Xian onslaught. Of the three ships in the hangar bay, only one remained intact, the other two having been crushed by chunks of debris blasted from the walls and ceiling. It was a miracle that the one shuttle craft had survived.

Koban quickly made his way up the ramp and into the craft. He seated himself at the control station and detached the ship from the mechanical clamps that held it off the ground, miraculously still in working order. It lifted toward the sky which was coming more into view as the ceiling opened up. As the ship rose out of the ice-covered ground and into the clouds, Koban had no fear of the Xian forces a half mile away that wouldn't concern themselves with one seemingly unimportant shuttle getting away.


	19. Evacuation

Kugo lay in the same spot that Koban had left him, in a pool of blood. He was going to remain there until the ceiling caved in or his wounds killed him. Besides the heat of battle, he thought of no other place he would rather die, although he didn't imagine it would be in this manner.

He noticed a glare that had been dancing on his helmet visor for a while now and traced it to a computer monitor. The screen showed a group of MOGERAs still in their underground hangar. They apparently hadn't been ordered into battle before the War Bridge was destroyed.

An idea suddenly came into Kugo's head and he dragged himself across the floor to the work station. The sword was still in his intestines and every time he moved, it jabbed some internal organ or another. He pulled himself up the side of the console, then flopped over beside its keyboard, waiting for the pain to subside somewhat and his breathing slow down before continuing with his plan.

Darius queried the exact whereabouts of the MOGERAs and discovered that they were merely 500 yards from the emergency dock. A scan of the machines' systems revealed that only one was capable of both flight and laser fire, the others having been damaged during the destruction of the base. Kugo checked the emergency dock through the surveillance system and noticed that one ship was missing. He rerouted the exterior observation units which soon locked onto it. Kugo got a visual of the shuttle flying like a speeding bullet through the clouds and immediately ordered the intact MOGERA to engage the ship and destroy it.

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Koban eased back into the helmsman's chair and breathed a sigh of relief. Beside him on the floor rested his red helmet. Soon he would be back home atop his tower in Central City on Mars. He would take a nice warm shower, get his wounds tended and then go to bed. He needed the rest, considering all the mayhem he would soon have to deal with.

In a week, he planned to have work underway for retaliation against the Xians for their attacks, along with possible action against any other alien races. He would begin a new plan to conquer the Earth. Maybe it wouldn't happen in a year, a decade or not even in his lifetime but he would be sure that they all would get their just rewards.

After a few minutes of reflection on all that had happened, the King of the Mysterians rose from his seat to walk about the ship to clear his stress-filled mind. The cabin door slid open and a crazed face filled his vision, causing him to step back in pure shock and terror.

"Tara... " he gasped. His lead wife was the personification of psychosis. Her teeth were bared and saliva covered her mouth, her breathing deep but sporadic. It was her eyes that shook Koban to his very bones for in those orbs were years of torment, sorrow and anguish. A fire blazed inside them as never before. Fear had turned into anger and grief to insanity. So powerful was her stare that Koban found himself repelled by her eyes. When he could break his gaze from them, he noticed what she was holding in her hands: a fire axe.

"Tara, darling," he pleaded. "Let us not be brash, my love. Please, put down that thing down. You know I love you and have always loved you. Why -" The axe sliced through his right arm. Koban screamed as he watched the severed limb drop to the floor. Looking at the blood-gushing stump, the pain felt much worse. He groped awkwardly for his blaster with his left hand but had to jump back to avoid the axe cleaving his head in two.

"IS THAT SATISFACTORY, SIRE?" Tara screamed at him. Koban nearly tripped over his own feet running from her. He ducked as she swung for his head again but hit an instrument panel. The next strike took off the top of a seat on the flight deck.

"ARE YOU PLEASED WITH ME NOW, MY LORD?" she screamed again. Her next swing cut open a large part of his back. The sheer force of it caused him to lose his balance and slide across the floor on his own blood before crashing into the control deck. On the viewscreen was a view behind the ship. When a MOGERA suddenly came out of the clouds right on the ship's tail, Koban's eyes went wide.

"No!" he yelled as if that would stop the oncoming monstrosity. "Oh, please no!" From behind him, his lead wife raised her axe above his head. The MOGERA's eyes lit up before it fired a succession of laser blasts. Tara's blade dropped down as if from heaven but it was impossible to say whether the axe made contact with Koban's skull before the shuttle was blown to bits.

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General Darius Kugo watched as the remains of Koban's ship fell to the icy ground in flames. Xian forces were blasting through the ceiling of the War Bridge from the outside. The shockwave knocked him to the floor before a large hunk of metal fell on his legs.

He didn't mind the pain anymore. Everything else was blocked out except the image on the viewscreen. With his dying eyes, Kugo watched the fire licking the shredded pieces of the shuttle's hull. He knew that somewhere in that inferno were the dead remains of Koban, late King of the Mysterians.

A smile crossed the old warrior's face as the entire structure above him collapsed in on itself.

_Count Down_

The leaders of the United World Powers met to consider the latest developments. An almost constant barrage of foreboding data poured in to their headquarters on the ever-increasing unrest of the Earth itself. The Elias and Doubijin were also present, hoping that humanity, with all its various technologies, somehow might be able to at least mitigate the danger they were facing.

"So that's it? We are done for, just like that?" General Aso sighed, unbelieving the magnitude of it all.

"It certainly looks that way," Commander Argon reluctantly admitted.

"How can such a terrible fate befall our beloved Gaia?" Lora sobbed.

"It has built towards this - all of it. The draining of Earth's Mana, the Gudis, Godzilla - everything. It almost seems as if this was pre-destined, like a horrible curse," Belvera growled.

"We must remain strong in the face of this grave disaster so that we can do what we can before the end comes," Moll declared but with sadness in her voice.

"How can it come to this? This is our home..." Terius moaned in despair.

"I suppose all good things must someday come to an end, my brother," Oberon tried to console him.

"I am sorry but I just cannot believe that! There is absolutely NOTHING that we can do?" Aso pleaded. "What about stopping Godzilla's explosion?"

"An explosion that will put a hole the size of Australia in the planet, coupled with a shockwave that will circle the globe, laying waste to everything upon it? This is not just some reactor that we can cool down or shut off! We are talking about a million times that kind of power and then some," Doctor Kenji Kamaiya tried to explain yet again.

"What about cadmium? Like Mechagodzilla was armed with when he faced down that tornado in Moscow?" the General stammered, still trying desperately to come up with an alternative despite the hopelessness of the situation.

"No good, I am afraid. Even if we took all the chemical cooling and freezing agents on this planet and threw them at Godzilla, it would still be useless. It would be like tossing an M80 at a tank and hoping it would stop him. The amount of raw power that Godzilla will put out is just too much. It would not be practical," the scientist explained.

"Fine, then! Screw being practical! How about we just attack him outright and kill him?" Aso shouted belligerently.

"Not a chance. Even if our forces were not weakened and we had all of our weapons and kaiju at our disposal, it still would not work. What happened at Yellowstone with King Ghidorah and the Kilaak warship was a prime example. Godzilla is more powerful now than he has ever been. It would be suicide," Argon explained with a grim finality.

"So once again Godzilla has become the greatest threat to life on this planet?" the General asked with a dreadful irony and deja vu, feeling that they had in a sense come full circle.

"Even if we managed to find a way to neutralize Godzilla, that still wouldn't solve ALL of our problems," Doctor Kamaiya reminded them.

"He is right I am afraid... The loss of precious Mana and the activities of the Kilaaks have also doomed this world," Moll explained.

"What about the Kilaaks?" someone asked.

"They have seemingly endless resources and we have depleted our own trying to combat them, the SFD, Gudis, etc." Argon reminded everyone.

"So what options does that leave us?" the Mu Empress asked.

"An evacuation?" King Hector suggested hopefully.

"You can not be serious! With all due respect, your majesty, there are not enough spacecraft on this entire planet to get even a fraction of the population off and away!" General Aso screeched.

"We could use our mothership..." Argon suggested, putting everyone present in a stunned silence.

"That is a most generous and selfless gesture, Commander, but how many can fit on the ship? Was it not full of your own people when it arrived here years ago?" Hector asked.

"Yes, but that number has been lessened a great deal since then. There have been many deaths due to military offensives against the various alien races, Gudis, Mugar and the rebels who followed Nargas," he admitted sadly.

"It is a courageous and gracious offer nonetheless, Commander," the Mu Empress assured him.

"How should we go about deciding who will go?" A. Johnson asked the question that everyone had no doubt been avoiding since the idea was first presented.

"I am guessing that in the event of nuclear war or some other kind of disaster threat, a list has already been made by various governments amongst the surface population. I suppose that the same approach could be used for other races as well?" Hector suggested.

"A selection comprised of the most important individuals from each race? Scientific, medical, scholars, et cetera?" the Mu Empress wondered.

"Yes, that would seem most logical," Kamaiya figured.

"But what about the rest of the people?" It fell to General Aso once again to ask one of the hardest questions facing them all.

"I am afraid that they are doomed," Argon admitted regretfully.

"I can not believe we are even discussing this! Am I the only one who is appalled by the mere notion that we are basically deciding who lives and who dies? Do we even have such a right?" Aso wondered.

"None of us are taking any joy in this endeavor, General. Of that we can all assure you," Hector said softly, the full weight of his legacy suddenly hitting him like a ton of bricks.

"How do we even tell the world about the fate that awaits them? It will incite unbridled terror and panic!" Aso continued, never having been in such a hopeless predicament, even after years of trying to defend his country against rampaging monsters.

"It doesn't matter. I have already made my findings in regards to Godzilla's quickly approaching demise and what it will result in public knowledge. No one believes it... or wants to," Kamaiya informed them. "The only other government besides Japan that is heeding my warnings is the United States."

"Then only those countries that have a plan in order will be included in this undertaking," Argon said bluntly.

"This is outrageous! You are suggesting that we just let the rest of the world go on blissfully unaware of the death that is rushing to greet them? Have you gone insane?"

"You said it yourself, General. Terror and panic, along with mass rioting, anarchy and a complete and total collapse of civilization as we know it. And such chaos will not make ANY evacuation plan easier to implement in the process," the Simeon assured him, having gone through the destruction of his own homeworld. Aso's face went pale but his countenance was quickly replaced with anger.

"That is easy for you to say, you damn monkey! Maybe throwing a few billion lives away doesn't mean a thing to you but it sure as hell does to me!"

"General Aso! That is not the case at all and you know it! We will all have to sacrifice members from all of our races as well as the human race!" King Hector sternly advised him.

"What am I supposed to believe? This is barbaric!"

"We could not agree more, General, but such a horrible catastrophe as this forces us all to make some hard but necessary decisions," Doctor Kamaiya sighed, trying to be as logical as possible with a consoling but knowledgeable tone he hoped would calm the General down.

"I am afraid that coming from all of you, this has little meaning to me. As the respective leaders of your peoples, your passage has already been bought and paid for," Aso retorted.

"And you would presume that we do not care about what happens to our people, to our societies? Mu and Seatopia will die, along with the rest of the planet. Do you think that it means nothing to us?" the Mu Empress challenged him.

"Would you still endorse this course of action if for whatever reason any of the United World Powers leaders had to stay behind?" General Aso asked her with evident disdain.

"It is my solemn duty to rule over whatever remains of my people and their way of life but I can assure you, General, that if I could insure the survival of my entire race, I would give up my life in an instant!"

"Bold words but do they mean anything?" Aso replied, much to the anger of the undersea ruler.

"You would label me a coward?" she seethed as she and the General rose from their seats and moved toward each other with angry glares.

"Stop it! This isn't getting us anywhere!" Commander Argon yelled, stepping between them with his arms outstretched.

"If we bicker and fight amongst ourselves, then no one will be saved and none of this will even matter!" Hector bellowed.

"This is the only option that we have. There is no other hope for ANY life on this planet surviving," Argon calmly insisted.

"Do not patronize me!" the General exploded, turning on the Simeon leader.

"General Aso! Please!" The Prime Minister's attempt to calm the General failed as the angry exchanges continued.

"Your immaturity is only exceeded by your self-righteous arrogance, General!" King Hector snarled, also rising from his seat. It appeared as if the various representatives were about to come to blows.

"This is not the time for personal attacks!" Johnson interjected but was also seemingly ignored.

"Please calm down, all of you!" Lora pleaded.

"Well, look at that! The humans and aliens are ready to wage war on one another all over again. Should I even pretend to be surprised?" Belvera snorted.

"Belvera!" Lora chastised her.

"It's the truth!"

"That's enough!" Moll yelled.

"No, it is not! I could have told you that this is how it would end," Belvera replied smugly.

"We must not lose hope!" Moll insisted.

"Hope? What hope? You heard their scientist. This planet is doomed, after all..." Belvera reminded her.

"Please stop fighting!" Lora cried out.

"More sibling bickering again? This is most unsavory," Terius grunted.

"Perhaps we should leave the whole lot of them to perish?" Oberon added sarcastically.

"Be silent! Your sarcasm does nothing to help matters!" Moll shrieked at the Doubijin.

"Have you no hearts or souls?" Zirkon asked his brothers in a mortified tone.

"Enough!" Doctor Kamaiya bellowed, bringing the rising tension in the room to a sudden halt. "Do not tell me that after all the trials and tribulations we have faced up to this point at the hands of countless aliens and kaiju that humanity is going to come apart at the seams now? If this is how we are all going to act, then perhaps the question should be whether there is anything worth saving." He suddenly realized what he had said and a look of shame clouded his face.

"Commander Argon is right. It may seem callous and even heartless but what are we supposed to do? There is no way to save the world and no way to save everyone on it so this is what it comes down to. How do you think I feel about all of this? I am not a king nor a world leader, nor am I a military man. All I am is a simple human being but that does not mean I don't understand the gravity of the situation. I could very well be one of those who are left behind and even if I am not, I will have to live with the knowledge of all the friends and loved ones who will be facing this terrible fate.

"But despite even that, I still know that this is what must be done, no matter how I may feel about it personally. That is simply the way it is. Now what is it going to be? Are we going to try and salvage what we can or fight amongst ourselves like a bunch of barbarians?" the doctor concluded.

Everyone had a chance to calm down and looked at one another, unsure of what to say.

"You are right," General Aso finally admitted with flushed cheeks. "Empress, can you ever forgive my most unnecessary brashness and disrespect?"

"Indeed I can, General," she replied with a slight bow.

"There is nothing disrespectful about a man who only wishes to save everyone if he could. I offer my apologies for my comments as well." King Hector placed a hand on the General's shoulder as he stepped beside him.

"Commander?" Aso asked, turning to Argon. "I wish to apologize to you as well."

"There is no need, General. King Hector's words echo my own," he smiled.

"Perhaps... But it seems that all I do is yell at you and toss around accusations. I offer my apologies nonetheless," Aso insisted with a bow which the Simeon returned.

The Elias stood together, gazing at one another as they exchanged telepathic apologies. The Doubijin looked on with their heads low, somewhat embarrassed for their own actions.

"Just one question, Doctor Kamaiya," the General asked the kaijuologist. "When Godzilla goes into meltdown, exactly what will happen?"

"It will be more of an explosion than anything. The shockwave created will be fast and sudden. Most of the Earth's remaining inhabitants won't even know what hit them," he replied, feeling like he was handing down a death sentence but knowing that it had been avoided long enough.

"As rulers and officials of our respective peoples, we all wish that we could have the power to save the world and protect our brethren from what threatens them but sometimes that is simply not to be. What is important is that we do what we can and save who we can for the sake of the future. In the end, that is all that any of us can ask for," Hector declared.

"So we have decided to evacuate the Earth but just where in the Hell are we supposed to go?" General Aso was perplexed.

"Mars," Commander Argon announced. For a moment, no one knew quite how to respond.

"Please tell me you are joking..." the General finally spoke up.

"Not at all. The Mysterians have a sealed city there."

"Wait... There is a Mysterian city on Mars?" A. Johnson asked with surprise.

"How did we not know about this before now?" the Prime Minister inquired.

"The dome that conceals it also shielded it from all known scanning technologies. My guess is that it has some kind of sensor/radar reflective surface. But once King Koban began his invasion - brazen fool that he is - he apparently decided that stealth was no longer an issue."

"So there is a Mysterian city on Mars that you want all of us to go to? That's not exactly what I would call a safe haven..." General Aso quipped.

"It is not but we should have the manpower and firepower to take the city for ourselves," Argon proposed.

"You want to risk what little will be left of our civilizations to try and conquer this city?" Hector's concern was evident on many faces.

"I am afraid that we have no other option. It is either Mars or Planet X which would surely be suicide. We can try to take a city or an entire planet. The Mysterian city is the closer, easier and weaker target right now. The vast majority of the Mysterian military might and manpower was here on Earth and has been all but wiped out. Mars is strategically the obvious choice. That, and we have nowhere else to go," Argon stated.

"But what of the issue of space aboard the Simeon mothership?" Aso asked yet another tough question

"How many do you believe would be necessary to preserve each race?" Argon addressed Doctor Kamaiya.

"A rough estimate? I would say around 100,000 from each."

"What is the capacity of the mothership, Commander?" The Mu Empress hoped that the answer would not add further grief to the already depressing situation.

"Around 500,000."

"And how many spaces currently remain? Will there be room for 100,000 of all our peoples?" Hector inquired awkwardly.

"Let me worry about that," Argon replied before abruptly leaving the conference room. General Aso slowly rose from his seat to initiate the most difficult campaign of his entire career.

"Very well, then. Let us make the necessary preparations." Everyone nodded silently and departed for their homelands, possibly for the last time.

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A security guard stationed at the conference had been eavesdropping on the proceedings and walked away to speak into his hidden communicator mike. "Chairman, were you listening?"

"Indeed I was, Kubota. This is most grim."

"What of our plans for the Earth?"

"I am afraid they may be lost but a new idea has just occurred to me. Where are you now?"

"Approaching the main hangar."

"Good. Do you have security clearance to go there?"

"Yes, Chairman."

"Then proceed. This situation may ruin our previous plans for the Earth but I do believe that a new possibility has presented itself. The state of things as they currently are appear to be a disaster but one that I think may be salvageable." When Kubota entered the hangar, he gazed upon the wreckage of the GOTENGO and a knowing smile came across his face.

_A Time to Choose_

Commander Argon was deep in thought as he stood in front of the normally concealed entrance to the Simeon base. He had summoned every remaining member of his race outside to hear what he had to say. As the final few stragglers arrived, he took a long deep breath. This was going to be the hardest thing he had ever done as an officer in the Simeon Army. He spoke into the microphone attached to speakers that had been set up so that the thousands assembled before him could hear every word of what could very well determine whether they lived or died.

"My brothers, I stand before you now with a matter of grave importance that must be addressed immediately. I know that we all came to this planet with the hope of eventually building a new civilization for ourselves but something terrible and dire now comes forth to crush the dream that we all share." Looks of shock and worry quickly appeared on the faces of his valiant soldiers.

"We have just learned that because of the absorption of the ray that the Kilaaks used to detonate the super volcano in the United States by Godzilla, the energies within him are increasing dangerously out of control. When he reaches the critical stage, an explosion will result that will destroy this entire planet and nothing will remain." He paused as several Simeons looked as if they were on the verge of suffering a coronary.

"There is no way to stop what will happen so our only option is to evacuate before Godzilla explodes. Unfortunately, there is another dilemma to address. Our mothership must be used to evacuate members of ALL the various races on this planet. Representatives from each are to be chosen in equal numbers. Unfortunately, there will not be enough room for everyone. Therefore... I must ask for volunteers amongst you to remain here on Earth and sacrifice your lives for the sake of preserving our allied races."

Upon this revelation, there was a jumble of voices, all caterwauling at once in hysteria and confusion while others merely stood with their mouths agape in total disbelief of what they had just heard.

"This is a terrible thing to have to ask of anyone. That is why I am hoping there will be volunteers among those who do not have families to make this selfless sacrifice. You do not have to like it and you can hate me all you want for even suggesting such a course of action but I am afraid that our current situation leaves us no alternative. Please take into consideration the fact that these are our allies and friends we are doing this for.

"They could have just as well destroyed the Simeon race completely when we were their enemies. But instead, an olive branch was extended to us homeless refugees and now it is our turn. Think about and consider this arduous decision. Those of you who decide to stay, please report to me personally. I hope that ALL of you will consider the lives that will be saved by this selfless sacrifice. That is all... You are dismissed." Argon sadly returned to his office. He was bent over his desk and rubbing his hands across his face in frustration and despair when Bordu appeared in the doorway.

"Are you all right, sir?" his adjutant asked.

"What have I done?" the Commander sighed softly, his head still down.

"Only what you had to do for the best of all life on this planet, sir."

"Did I?" Argon wondered as he looked up. "I just asked some of the finest apes I have ever known and served with to give their lives on a moment's notice. I stood out there and talked about the greater good and the need for sacrifice but then I wonder... Who am I really trying to convince - them... or myself?"

"These are desperate times, sir."

"Yes, I know, Lieutenant. Which call for desperate measures."

"You did what any good Commander would have to do if they were in your place, sir."

"'Good' Commander? I do not feel like a good Commander getting ready to throw away the lives of countless good and loyal Simeons. Right now, I do not feel any different than Mugar..."

"Don't even say such a thing!" Bordu uncharacteristically snarled but just as quickly added with sincere admiration for this Commander and friend. "Mugar was a heartless maniac who would have killed us all without a second thought, much less pity or remorse. You obviously are suffering from plenty of both, sir."

"Don't try to sugar coat this, Bordu. It is what it is." There was more pleading in his response than admonishment of the young officer.

"True, sir. But in the face of this nightmarish ordeal, the same kind of sacrifices will have to be made by all the other races as well. All of planet Earth is in this together."

"Do the ends justify the means?"

"I do not know but if you are asking me which is better between at least some of the planet's population surviving versus none, then you should know how I feel. As for us, sir, we all knew the risks going into this mission before we ever came to Earth. For all we knew, we were all going to die anyway if our proposed invasion attempt failed."

"I stood out there and tried to sound brave and assured of the decision that I had made but that is not how I feel. Yes, this course of action is the logical one but is it ethical? Is it moral? In the Simeon military, we are taught to be cold and calculating so that emotion holds no sway over us when the time comes to make decisions like this. Was Mugar supposed to be the logical embodiment of this philosophy? Would I be a better, stronger Commander if I simply learned to shut my emotions off like a light switch?"

"According to the most ancient rules of the Simeon Military Code, probably, sir. But those were different times than the ones we find ourselves in now."

"I know. The Simeon race was enslaved, first by the Borans and then later, by the Nebulans. We NEEDED to develop a ruthless killer instinct in order to free ourselves to rebel against our masters. It just so happened that many Simeons LIKED the power that came with this ruthlessness."

"And thus the Simeon Empire was born but with things the way they are now, I think that those beliefs are outdated, sir. Look at us! Our entire solar system is gone. Our race has been reduced to a fraction of its former numbers and we are making peace with other races rather than trying to kill or enslave them ourselves.

"With things the way they are now, what do we have to gain by walking around acting like a bunch of hard-asses all the time? The ways of the former Empire served their purpose when they were needed but those days are long gone. I believe that a Simeon Commander who can rule with compassion and show some semblance of feeling will earn far more respect than one who instills fear and even hatred of himself. And it shows in how you have led us, sir," Bordu assured him.

"Mugar would have just walked out there and started shooting everyone in the head. You gave them a choice. Myself and every other Simeon will follow you to whatever end, sir. Did you not see the pride and determination in their eyes?"

"What I saw out there was fear, shock and disbelief. What right do I have to do this to them?"

"The right of a Commander who has to face the reality of making difficult, even seemingly impossible decisions in the face of hopelessness."

"You mean in the face of death..."

"Then turn death into a fighting chance for life, sir."

"General Aso ripped all of us when the idea first came up. Can I really blame him for how he feels?"

"No, but all we can do is what we have the ability to do, sir."

"King Hector said something along those lines. 'Do what we can and save who we can for the sake of the future' is how he put it."

"And he is right, Commander. In the end, that is all that any of us can do." Argon remained silent for a moment before releasing another heavy sigh.

"Then that is what we shall do," he resolved as he clasped Bordu's shoulder. Just then, a massive group of Simeons arrived in the corridor outside. As he went to receive them, Argon could see the determination in their eyes that Bordu had spoken of. He also realized why they were there.

"Commander?" a young corporal standing at attention at the head of the squad addressed him.

"Yes, soldier?" Argon replied, now the proud Simeon Commander he was.

"We are ready to do what must be done." Argon bowed his head for a moment before stepping towards the ape and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Then you have chosen to make the most noble and selfless sacrifice any living being in any galaxy could ever make. And in doing so, you all have proven that you have more courage and conviction than I could ever hope to have."

"Sir, yes, sir!" they all replied in unison.

"If there is anyone who is having doubts or second thoughts for any reason, please say so now. And that is an order." Silence was the only answer he got.

"Commander, we are proud to give our lives for the greater good, and for a commanding officer who has earned our respect." A grin came across Argon's face that was a mixture of sorrow and the tremendous pride swelling up within him.

"...Truly, you are the finest examples of what the Simeon Empire really is... and what it should be. Every single one of you make me very proud to be your Commander." He knew that these brave souls would be but the first of many. The Simeon race was indeed dwindling but its spirit was stronger than ever before.

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In Seatopia, Hector faced a similar ordeal as he stood looking upon the throne that had once belonged to his father. As King, it was now his but he could not bring himself to sit upon it.

"Your mind is troubled, my King..." Angelique frowned as she entered the throne room. Hector turned to face her.

"Of course it is," he replied sadly. "I have to pick which of our people will live and who will die."

"It is indeed a terrible task but one that must be done," she insisted.

"I understand that Queen Fimetreous has already addressed her people. They didn't even flinch. They just accepted what she told them without a single complaint."

"The Mu have faced their own kind of hardships. They have faced what they believed was their extinction on more than one occasion. They are also fiercely devoted and loyal without question. It is how the people of Mu are raised from birth," Angelique reminded him.

"I wish I possessed their fearlessness..." King Hector admitted.

"With all due respect to our allies, the Mu always struck me as... somewhat cold and unfeeling. Granted, it is the source of much of their strength and truth be told, if they were not that way, whether or not they would still exist today could possibly be called into question. They consider emotions, at least the ones they deem too soft, a weakness that cannot be afforded."

"Are they right?" Hector asked as if suddenly unsure of himself.

"For them, perhaps. But not our people. We too are a proud race with a background somewhat similar to the Mu but we chose to embrace our emotions and commit ourselves to an ideal that life need not be all about war, honor and valor but tempered with love and compassion as well. Such beliefs are what give our people hope for the future."

"The future..." Hector began to say with a slight chuckle. "When I was still a prince, back when I was still a child for that matter, I dreamed and fantasized about the future. About becoming King and what I thought it would be like. I foresaw giving subjects and servants orders, doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Of charging into glorious battle but never anything like this. Never a decision like this. I was a naive fool and I still am..."

"No, you are our King and that is your throne," Angelique pressed on, leading him toward it.

"No. That was my father's throne and only now am I realizing the weight that he bore as our King and as my father. He was stronger than I could ever hope to be. Deep down, I always knew it, even when I tried to convince myself otherwise, blinded by stubborn pride and vanity."

"His strength is in you. You are his son! It runs through your veins," his Queen insisted.

"That may be but it does not make what lies before me any easier."

"It's not supposed to but know that through whatever hardship you face, I will be by your side, my love," Angelique swore, slipping her arms around him from behind.

"It is your love and your strength that will help me find my own, my Queen," Hector assured her.

"As it shall always be. Come, my King. It is time to address the people." They both slowly turned and walked arm in arm towards the balcony of the palace that overlooked the main courtyard. Waiting patiently below, nearly all of Seatopia's citizens had gathered.

Before the King and Queen stepped through the curtain that would reveal them to the crowd, Hector stopped, stood up straight, inhaled deeply and pushed his chest out. After that, they greeted their subjects, standing hand-in-hand.

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At UWP headquarters, General Aso sat in his office with his elbows on his desk and his face in his hands. Johnson and the Prime Minister were working on the preparations for choosing those of the human race who would board the Simeon mothership.

The General had been working with them but had asked to be excused. After everything he had been through in his life, he thought he could handle anything but this unbelievable situation was pushing him to his limits. He moved his hands up to his temples, attempting to rub out a migraine that refused to go away. He then reached into a drawer for some aspirin, taking them without water. Leaning back in his chair, the General looked about the room and the various decorations on the walls. There were a combination of military honors he had received and personal mementos of family and friends. As he did this, he felt a sudden wave of sadness come over him.

What is the point of any of it if it's all going to end like this? he thought to himself but he quickly remembered his duty as a soldier. He shrugged off the hopelessness that had briefly overtaken him, realizing that everything he saw on his walls was exactly why he couldn't give up, why he couldn't give in to melancholy.

The human race had to survive, even if it was just a fraction and he would make damn sure that they did. Accepting that truth, General Aso stood up abruptly and straightened his tie. As he boldly and proudly strode out of his office, his thoughts mirrored his new state of mind.

Every other race in the UWP had faced seemingly inescapable death and obsolescence. It was about time the human race joined the club.

We'll show them all that we can roll with the punches. We haven't thrived on this planet for countless centuries just to be wiped out by a damned exploding lizard!

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With their extensive network of members throughout the various branches of the American government, the Advocates had become aware of the Simeons' star ship soon after they agreed to join forces with the United World Powers. It was with this craft that they hoped to escape the impending devastation of the Earth itself.

Despite the years of study put into the Martian ship they were now aboard, full mastery of the alien craft had not been achieved. Some of its technology was beyond anything mankind could ever hope to comprehend. Calculated to be capable of flight at Mach 11 and faster than even the most advanced Earth craft, the warship was approaching the West Coast. At this rate, they would be in Japan in no time at all. The journey had been uneventful now that the Space Force Directive had seemingly come apart at the seams and was far more preoccupied with each other than the measly humans.

The Advocates in Washington had managed to make their escape due to meticulous pre-planning and quickly joined their comrades in New Jersey. Secretary of Defense James Ramsey immediately assumed leadership of the elite corps, having left the President and the rest of his staff to their own devices. First it was Godzilla's return, then Koban's panic and retreat, followed by the Xians' attack on the Mysterians. The Xians and what Mysterians who had been left behind were soon at each other's throats.

Suddenly, a bizarre-sounding alarm similar to a fog horn went off, alerting those aboard the Martian craft to something entering their sensor range. A monitor flickered to life, indicating about half a dozen MOGERAs approaching from the north as fast as their jets could carry them. Ramsey was not concerned about them as a sly grin came across his face.

"Intercept those mechs and take them down," he ordered.

"Yes, sir!" the weapons specialist replied, moving his hands over a control console that had been re-fitted to accommodate human hands once its purpose had been figured out. The warship began to veer off course in pursuit of the MOGERAs.

"Open fire!" Ramsey commanded. At another re-configured console, various buttons and levers activated the weapons systems. A streaming blast of orange energy erupted from the ship's now extended serpentine 'eye', completely obliterating one of the MOGERAs. Its flaming remains plummeted down towards the ground below. Having taken notice of this, the remaining mechs turned and opened fire on the strange craft which now hovered in place.

The Mysterian constructs sent forth their eye beams and gauntlet missiles but the Martian ship's force field proved to be just as impenetrable as it was over 50 years ago, even against the far more advanced robots' weaponry. Another blast from the ship's primary weapon blew a second MOGERA out of the sky.

As they dove in again, the alien war machine demonstrated its wing and front bow blasters in conjunction with the incendiary beam. Two more of the MOGERAs were quickly picked off. Those remaining attempted a physical attack, slamming hard into the ship's force field but it generated its own center of gravity, making it practically immovable.

One MOGERA pounded away furiously while the other opened fire at point-blank range as it hovered around the ship. The slender neck of the primary weapon turned its triple-lensed gaze toward them and blew one MOGERA's head off while the bow blaster expelled a huge green blast of energy that gutted the other in short order.

"Hah! They never stood a chance!" Ramsey gloated as he ordered the navigator to resume their original heading.

_Vendetta_

Aboard his new command ship AFTERMATH, the Kilaak king observed the progress of the Earth's conquest. "Sir, incoming transmission from Fleet Admiral Rikotet," the communications specialist advised. The wallscreen to his right came to life, showing the officer in his bronze chain mail armor. He bowed slightly as the VISUAL indicator came on.

"What is it, Admiral?" Karkaru asked.

"Sir, our northern advance has gone relatively well. We have currently activated 200 known and new volcanos between the area the humans call 'Baja California' and the Arctic Circle. Temperatures along the western North American coastline have increased enough to cause massive wild fires that are engulfing entire cities. Glaciers are beginning to melt, releasing carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere which will serve to heat the planet even more."

"I know you did not contact me to repeat everything I already know," the King frowned.

Rikotet sighed. "I am afraid that General Kulkan was exposed to unsuitable temperatures while his ship was activating the Yellowstone super volcano." Karkaru sat up straighter in his seat.

"Have you found any trace of him? Surely, the heat would have revived him and his crew by now..."

"We did look, sir, but I am afraid that the eruption consumed the remains of his ship and he was killed by the molten rock." The Kilaak lowered his head in respect. Eerie visions of death and suffering filled Karkaru's head. His wife called out to him in horror before an image came into focus.

He recalled entering Mount Fuji after awakening King Ghidorah and finding the destroyed base from the first Kilaak invasion attempt. It had been flooded with magma after the final attack by the Earth monsters.

"What brought his ship down?" he asked, feeling his internal temperature rising with his growing anger. The officer seemed reluctant to speak. "WHAT KILLED HIM?" Karkaru shrieked, startling his own crew as well as the Admiral.

"It was Godzilla, sir. He is back."

_Gaia_

Deep in the southern tip of the Boreal Forest in Missouri, Mothra still lay in a deep slumber. The Elias maintained a constant vigil by her side, singing their melodic prayer in hopes that it would speed her recovery.

What they did not anticipate was the sudden arrival of a small Kilaak squadron that abruptly loomed over the horizon. Lora spotted them first.

"Moll... Look!" Her sisters' heads snapped in the direction she was pointing.

"The Kilaaks!" Belvera spat.

"In her current condition, Mothra cannot survive an attack!" Lora squealed worriedly.

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Aboard the lead ship, the Captain expressed his doubts about their reason for being there.

"Garak, tell me again just why you wanted us to come here," he asked candidly with a disapproving frown.

"To kill that creature, sir. It is Mothra and currently the most powerful kaiju among this planet's defenders. It wiped out massive armies of Xian and Mysterian craft and battled Gudis to a standstill," the ship's Science Officer explained.

"It doesn't look like much to me. I still cannot believe I let you talk me into this! General Kulkan would have my head if he knew about this detour we have taken."

"Sir, our job here in the United States is finished, is it not? The last task here was to activate the Yellowstone caldera, which, according to our last transmission, the HELLRAISER itself was seeing to. Correct? With that in mind, this slight deviation from our original flight trajectory is but a minimal alteration at most. Furthermore, now is the perfect opportunity to destroy this kaiju. It has been weakened from its battles and is currently in a deep sleep or coma-like state. If we allow her to recover, she will attack and destroy our ships, sir. She must be killed now."

"But, Garak... What about your scientific curiosity?" the Captain asked, somewhat surprised at this officer's suggestion.

"I can always study its remains." The Captain smiled wickedly.

"Garak, I knew there was a reason I liked you. Send the command code to the other ships to open fire."

A blitzkrieg of missiles came from the Kilaak ships. But at the last second, a titanic form flew into the path of the oncoming projectiles, taking the brunt of their force.

"Gamera!" Moll cried out in amazement as the not yet fully-recovered terrapin came crashing down. He slowly lifted his head up from the ground.

That hurt! he thought to himself, wincing.

"Are you alright?" he asked the Elias, calling to them over his shoulder.

"For the moment..." Belvera called back.

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The Kilaak Captain was not so happy at this creature's interference. "What is that thing?" he grunted, annoyed by the thought of their plan being thwarted.

"Bringing up the data file now, sir," Garak replied.

"Don't bother. Open fire again."

More missiles slammed into the Atlantean protector, knocking him away from their target. As he went down again, Gamera fired off several fireballs but they seemed to be absorbed into the hulls of the Kilaak vessels.

This is why I really hate fighting Kilaaks Gamera thought as two of the craft broke away from the main formation to pelt him with more rockets. The rest resumed their targeting of Mothra with their flame-throwers but he moved with amazing speed, throwing himself on top of her. The flames encased them both.

"Stupid animal," the Captain commented as he shook his head.

"Captain! Disengage the flame-throwers!" Garak exclaimed, jumping up from behind his monitor.

"Why?" the Captain questioned, looking back at him.

"The kaiju protecting Mothra is Gamera! It feeds on and draws strength from fire and heat!" The Captain spun around to give the cease fire order but a powerful roar coming from the maelstrom told them that it was too late.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Gamera surged forth, completely assimilating the Kilaak fire and protecting Mothra and the Elias in the process. He blasted skyward, smashing through the ships like a bull in a china shop.

One Kilaak vessel in Fire Dragon mode charged toward the great turtle, only to be caught in his claws. The kaiju then sucked the fire encasing the ship into himself before crushing it.

"Get us out of here! We didn't sign on for this!" the Captain ordered angrily as what few ships remained sped away faster than Gamera could follow.

"It is just as well, sir. We have just received new orders from the King himself," Navigator informed him. "We are to converge on the current location of his command ship and then follow it to new coordinates."

"But we always receive our orders from the General... This is highly irregular. Open a direct line to the HELLRAISER immediately!" the Captain commanded.

The only reply from the other end was the sound of dead air. The rest of the ship's crew began to feel as if something was seriously wrong, even though they were not sure what it was.

"No response, sir."

"What do you mean? Try it again."

Once more the communication signal went out but still there was no answer. After several more frustrated and failed attempts, the Captain finally ordered the channel closed.

"Orders, sir?" the Navigator asked as everyone waited patiently for the Captain's reaction.

"Do as the King has commanded," he finally ordered. The remaining ships set their new coordinates and departed.

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Gamera flew back down to where Mothra and the Elias were. "I know I have already asked this once before but-"

"Yes, we are fine, thanks to you," Moll assured him with much gratitude.

"How did you even know where to find us?" Belvera inquired curiously.

"I cannot really explain it but ever since Mothra gave me that Mana boost back when we fought King Ghidorah, I have felt a connection with her. Somehow, I just knew where you were and that you were in danger."

"Intriguing..." Belvera observed.

"Thank Gaia for the little things," Lora offered.

"How is she?" Gamera asked, looking over at Mothra.

"In a deep slumber, one that we have not been able to awaken her from," Moll informed him.

"She has expended so much energy and has never been this weak before..." Lora frowned.

"Maybe I can help with that." Gamera stretched out his hands. Within his body, the Atlantean construct transmuted the energy he had harvested from the Kilaak ships into Mana energy. Waves of it rolled off of him and blanketed the motionless imago.

A few moments later, light appeared in her eyes as the Earth goddess slowly began to stir, much to the delight of the Elias.

"Wha-where am I? What has happened?" Mothra asked groggily.

"We shall explain as soon as you have fully revived," Moll assured her with a warm smile.

"Thank you," Lora said to Gamera with a grin of her own.

"I owed her," the fearsome terrapin humbly replied.

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It was an easy matter to pick up Godzilla's radiation signature with the Kilaaks' advanced heat monitoring instruments but King Karkaru was surprised at his fiery appearance. "What is his status?" he asked.

"His energy levels are rising. The radioactivity levels are unstable. Even if his temperature was brought down, he will probably lose control of it by the end of the day." A twitch of a smile appeared on the King's face.

"At least we can finally be the ones to say that we killed Godzilla..." His elation quickly disappeared. "We need to halt the process somehow. There is no way we can evacuate all of our forces that quickly." A tense silence settled in the ship as the AFTERMATH began its descent to the Earth below.

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Godzilla staggered into the city of Seattle, letting out a pained bellow. His instincts were driving him toward the sea to soothe the raging fire within him, heedlessly crushing homes and businesses as he moved forward.

The King of the Monsters halted near the Space Needle as a familiar shape floated down from the clouds. It was one of the same ships that had done this to him but it was not alone. What seemed like the entire Kilaak fleet appeared behind it, as if daring the monster to try and pass. Godzilla snarled as his body continued to slowly destroy itself from the inside out. He threw his head up in a bellow of rage and then thrust it forward as a stream of molten energy escaped his jaws, barely missing the lead ship.

Karkaru gripped his seat as the AFTERMATH veered to port, evading the beam as it followed them. It struck several Kilaak fighters, sending them to the ground in flames. Godzilla bellowed as their explosions died down but his eyes followed their leader as it swung around behind him. The Monster King began to turn but the vessel had already clamped onto the back of his neck. Agitated, he shook his head to try and dislodge it but it didn't budge.

Suddenly, he felt a staggering pain in the back of his head. Godzilla bellowed in anger as a long hypodermic needle was driven into his spinal column. A fluid flowed through him and his eyes bulged out as the orange toxin blasted from his mouth and bled from every orifice it could find. It traveled through his bloodstream, reaching his heart and plugging the organ up completely. Godzilla opened and shut his mouth in pained spasms, trying to bellow before staggering to his right and collapsing forward, his face slamming into the ground below.

"Do it," Karkaru ordered. The needle expanded and inserted a control device on the beast's spinal column, sending wires and cables up and down his spine and into his brain to take control of the Monster King, including the processes occurring within his body. Godzilla spasmed as it finished its task, then lay still. Karkaru looked at the biologist who was reading a steady flow of information from the unit.

"How do we fare?" he asked.

"He will revive soon. The toxin has slowed the energy flow throughout his body. He should be stabilized slightly by the time he wakes. It will continue to overwhelm his body but it will take at least a week. At most, several before he finally explodes." Karkaru smiled at this prospect.

"Enough time to evacuate the planet. Not even we could survive the blast of energy that will result from this monster's death."

"Sir! He's waking up!" Karkaru looked at the wallscreen image of the only creature who truly stood in his way.

Godzilla's eyes had opened and were looking at the hovering Kilaak ship above him. The Monster King stood but he was under their control. His skin had cooled down and the massive patches of burning energy on his body had been reduced to spots of light glowing orange. His eyes had not lost their fire, however.

In the creature's mind, a voice called to him, one that was familiar. It was commanding, tyrannical and overpowered him, just as it had before. But as the Kilaak artificial intelligence began to test the body it now inhabited, Godzilla's defeated consciousness remembered something. He was not what he was before...

"Sir, energy levels are rising beyond normal!"

"What? I thought you had him under control..." After furiously entering commands into the computer controlling the A.I. in the control device, the operator was still at a loss as to what to do next about this development.

"Sir, there is too much energy! It is... off the charts..." Karkaru's eyes widened in horror as the fire in the eyes of his wife's murderer increased in intensity. The glowing patches of orange began to widen as more energy poured into them. The toxin that had been injected was literally incinerated by the intense heat.

Godzilla shook violently as the pain returned. Along his spine, the control device's wires began to twist and melt, snapping and fusing to his bones. Designed to withstand the heat of being left in a volcano for decades, the instrument sparked, contorted in on itself and also began to melt.

"Impossible..." Karkaru declared as Godzilla turned to look directly at him. It was then that he recognized his mistake. An immense feeling of sorrow washed over him as the creature's back plates began to shine brilliantly. Even as the pilot attempted to dodge the inescapable beam, the creature opened his mouth and a super-heated stream of pure energy washed over the AFTERMATH.

"Thank you, Godzilla," Karkaru whispered as every Kilaak aboard the vessel was incinerated.

A wave of terror spread throughout the fleet as their command ship disappeared in an enormous explosion. Admiral Rikotet crushed the nearest object at hand. "Kill him!" he shrieked in hatred as the remaining ships closed in on the King of the Monsters.

Godzilla saw them coming and inhaled massively before letting loose a Spiral Beam which decimated the nearest ones. The Kilaaks opened fire, dousing him in flames, lasers and missiles he barely noticed as he walked through the barrage and fired another beam of nuclear energy, knocking many more warships into the sea. The monster's terrible blasts laid waste to every alien vessel they fanned across. Hundreds fell when they met the monster's angry gaze.

As the Kilaaks soon found out, there was a reason King Ghidorah hadn't been heard from since he left Washington. One ship, in Fire Dragon mode, created a vortex of flames around the Monster King. Ignoring the attack, Godzilla reached up and snatched the spinning vessel from the sky. He then bit into it, his internal temperatures far exceeding those generated by the alien craft. Flattened by the pressure of his crushing jaws, twisted metal was spit to the ground.

Another ship attempted a similar attack from behind. The monster's tail knocked it into the Space Needle, causing another massive explosion. The growing hell around him enveloped the abandoned city, creating a firestorm that rose to meet the clouds of ash from the Yellowstone eruption that covered much of the northwest.

Godzilla continued toward the sea, leaving behind a shattered Kilaak fighting force. Barely 17 ships out of hundreds had survived his terrible wrath. Admiral Rikotet mourned the loss of his brothers and knew that the monster's beam had incinerated hundreds of them. There was no hope of their resurrection so he led what was left of his fleet back into the vastness of space. Godzilla's body was unstable now and there was no telling when he could explode. Whenever that time came, Rikotet knew one thing: He did not want to be on Earth to witness it.

Below, the mighty creature bellowed as he entered the Pacific Ocean. Its cool waters somewhat eased his suffering but only a little as the pain inside him continued to increase. Now, there was only one place Godzilla wanted to be: HOME, the territory he had been stolen from - Tokyo.

_Déjà vu_

An angry mob of people had gathered outside the barricades that had been set up in front of the entrance to the Simeon mothership. Those lucky enough to be selected for its desperate journey were already aboard and stowing away necessary supplies.

Although much of the world scoffed at Doctor Kamaiya's claim that the Earth was doomed, there were those who believed it. And with that belief came panic - followed by chaos.

"Commander! The mob is growing in number!" a Simeon guard radioed.

"Have you fired off warning shots?" Argon asked.

"Yes, sir, but it isn't stopping them!"

"Switch weapons to STUN and open fire." The Simeons did as ordered and began to pick off rioters trying to climb the barricades. However, their numbers had swollen into the thousands and threatened to overturn the barriers as their sheer mass surged forward. A Simeon yelled through a loudspeaker, attempting to warn them back but it did no good.

"Commander, there are too many of them!" a sergeant called in to the control room. Terrible memories of what had happened back on Setei flooded Argon's mind as he closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the images that stirred within him.

"Commander?" Bordu asked, eyeing him worriedly as the Simeon leader finally opened his eyes.

"Tell the men to switch from STUN... to KILL," he finally ordered. After a long pause, Bordu repeated the order to the security detail.

As the mob began to push through and over the boundary, countless droves were cut down.

"It isn't enough! Unless we get some reinforcements out here, they're going to overrun us for sure!" the Sergeant exclaimed. Argon was about to send another battalion out when Queen Fimetreous rushed on to the main bridge.

"Order your soldiers to retreat at least 30 meters away from the barricades," she commanded but her voice had more of a sense of urgency than anything else. Argon quickly radioed his men to fall back.

A few moments later, the entire area began to quake and shake as the very ground itself began to crumble and fall away beneath the revolting masses. A precisely targeted area that encircled the Simeon base was swallowed into the Earth as hapless humans fell screaming into the abyss. The Commander looked over at the Mu Queen.

"The earthquake generator." She nodded. "Ruthless but effective. I thank you for your timely intervention, your highness." Everyone looked at the two leaders, not sure what to think or say. It was Argon who decided to break the uncomfortable silence.

"It had to be done. It was either them or us."

Soon after, the Queen returned to her quarters where she stood alone with a royal guard stationed outside the door. She had even asked her King to allow her a moment of privacy. In seclusion, she allowed a single solitary tear to run down her left cheek. She then wiped it away and resumed her regal posture.

As an Empress of the Mu Empire, it was expected of her to make decisions that no one else could - or would want to. To rule with an unforgiving iron hand as well as an iron will ensured her people's survival. She suddenly remembered something her mother had said to her long ago when she was but a child:

An Empress must be made of stone. There is no room for weakness.

To outsiders, her actions seemed callous; even heartless but nothing could be further from the truth. She did not desire the death of innocents any more than her other UWP compatriots. And although she could not openly express her feelings of sadness or remorse, it did not mean that she felt them any less than anyone else.

As she pondered her rule and her actions, it suddenly dawned on her. Could change possibly be so bad? she wondered as she considered the Simeons' own recent revolution which seemed to strengthen them compared to what they were before.

The ideals and beliefs of the Mu were based on centuries of fear, mistrust and apprehension dating back to a time when they had no allies, only enemies. Such was not the case anymore. Perhaps it was something worth considering for the future.

_Wakkanai City, Hokkaido_

A veil of darkness hung over the northernmost point of Hokkaido, the current residence of Professor Dale Erickson who had moved to the small city in the past year. He found it to be a beautiful, peaceful place that overlooked the ocean and felt like home to him. The weary man stepped out of the helicopter and glanced about, gasping with horror as he saw its present devastation. Apparently, the terrible things that had been occurring across the rest of the world had even reached here.

Fires smoldered where buildings once lined the streets of the beautiful town. Smoke wafted through the air when the Moon managed to peer through the thick polluted clouds hanging above the ruins. Tears gathered in his eyes as he glanced from one side of the city to the other but he knew that he had one last mission to complete.

"Stay here," he ordered the fretful pilot. "I must find my wife and daughter. I hope they survived this horror..." He then quickly ran down the hill. Corpses littered the streets and could be seen lying inside some of the buildings. People had even been scorched into the remaining walls by some mysterious power. The stench of death gagged the professor and he could barely breathe the foul-smelling air.

He ran to the tiny peninsula to the west that extended out into the Sea of Japan where his house somehow still stood. This filled his heart with immense hope and relief as he ran to the porch and burst inside. It was completely dark and very quiet, the same silence that lurked in the city beyond. He felt a cold chill run up his spine as the ominous blackness that shrouded each room enveloped him.

"Kiriko, where are you?" he shouted. A groan could be heard from the western side of the house. The bedroom! he guessed. A dim candle lit a small space near the bloody body of his wife, a terrible gash in her abdomen that had bled profusely, leaving a puddle of red around her.

"Dale... thank God you are here..." she stammered, then coughed weakly.

"Shh! Don't try to move or speak. You must maintain your strength," he nervously murmured as he knelt down beside her.

"What... strength. I... am dying. You must... save Arwen. She is hidden in the closet... I told her to go there when... they came."

"When who came?"

"It is not... important. Go... and take Arwen to safety... before they... come back," she gasped as she held on to his hand. Tears ran down Erickson's face as he watched his wife's last moments in this violent world. "Please, Dale... go. I... love you. Be one... of the last remaining people... to see this terrible evil... defeated..." Her hand fell to the bloodstained floor next to his knee, her eyes now dark and her shallow breathing stopped. He and their daughter were now alone. Erickson bowed his head and wept over the lifeless body he now held. Soon, a gentle song intruded on the winds of death as a voice echoed in his mind.

Fret not, for all hope is not lost. You have studied me for many years and I know that you are a kind-hearted man who has wanted to save humanity and this world since you were a child. Fulfill your mission and save your daughter Silence set in and Erickson looked about him in awe, glancing around and trying to locate the origin of the mysterious voice.

"Who said that?" he softly whispered.

It is I. Surely you haven't forgotten! the gentle voice replied.

"Is this the voice of Mothra?"

It is. And I am urging you to begin a journey, Dale Erickson. It is your destiny. You can not give in to despair. Earth is not yet out of the realm of hope, especially with people like you.

"But what can I do? How can I contribute to something that is out of my range of power to control?" he asked uneasily.

Flee to the west and bring your daughter with you. You must go to Korea and the city of Pusan. There, you shall find people in need of guidance; survivors. I am not asking you to do this for me but I am asking you to do it freely. Fulfill your mission. Protect what is left of the human race before they are destroyed by what may happen in the future

Erickson stood up confidently, yet still in awe of Mothra actually communicating with him psychically.

"Thank you, Mothra," he whispered as he glanced up toward the ceiling. He then went to the closet to awaken his sleeping 18 year-old daughter and get her out of the house. Professor Dale Erickson took one last glance at his dead wife before departing and making his way back to the helicopter.

xxxxxxxx

At the Simeon base, the evacuation was going according to plan when a proximity alert went off. "Get me a visual," Argon commanded. A screen flickered on, revealing a strange ship hovering not too far from their location.

"What is that thing?" Bordu wondered in obvious surprise.

"Commander, we are being hailed," the communications officer advised.

"Open the line, Ensign."

"I bid you good evening, Commander Argon."

"And to whom am I speaking?" the Simian asked cautiously.

"Those who were once compatriots against the Space Force Directive. I and my group come bearing you tidings." The strange ship suddenly opened fire but the barrage wasn't even felt within the huge underground base. "Occupants of the Simeon ship, by order of the Advocates, you are to turn over your facilities to us immediately," the former United States Secretary of Defense commanded as he appeared on the screen.

"Whoever you are, I demand to know why you have attacked us and by what right that you do so!" Argon growled.

"What right, alien? The right that we as the true and rightful natives of this world lay claim to. The right that all of us swore an oath to long ago. A right that you, invader, are not entitled to."

"Invader? Just what kind of game are you trying to play?"

"I assure you, Commander, this is no game," the Secretary proclaimed as he gave a signal to fire again. Blasts from all of the ship's weapons struck the rocky face of the mountain that concealed the Simeon base.

"Damage report?" Argon asked.

"Nothing significant yet, sir." A moment of silence passed before Argon addressed their attacker.

"Again I ask... Who are you?" he hissed angrily.

"My name is James Ramsey, former Secretary of Defense of the United States of America."

"Former? What do you mean?"

"The United States no longer exists. The Space Force Directive has seen to that. And even if they do self-destruct, the damage has already been done. Our once great nation... has been broken," Ramsey declared, hanging his head as if mourning the death of a loved one.

"So you attack us? We are your allies! We tried to defend the U.S.!"

"You are no ally of mine, Simeon! And even if you did try to protect our country, you were defending a government that we no longer have faith in. We know that the U.S. is doomed... as is the entire world," Ramsey insisted with a knowing look.

"You are aware of what will eventually happen to the Earth?" Argon wondered how many others of the doomed planet knew exactly what was bound to occur at any moment.

"Yes. That is why we are here. The ways of the old democracy and the very Earth itself no longer matter. Soon, nothing will remain of any of the previous nations. The time has come for a change, a change that we will enforce!"

"By taking over our base? What good will that do you?"

"Don't play dumb with us, Commander! We know full well that your headquarters is also capable of space travel and of the evacuation you were planning."

"But why attack us? You could have presented your case to the United World Powers and possibly found a way to be included..."

"Don't be a fool! We are far greater in number than the meager sampling you see on screen. We have our own list of individuals who will come aboard your ship once we have commandeered it. Besides, we would never suffer the existence of your or any other non-human race or anyone else that is not a member of our party."

"And what makes you think that we will just hand it over to you? If we do not comply, then what? Though your vessel appears quite formidable, alone you pose no real threat to us."

"Tell me, Commander. Have you ever heard the tale of David and Goliath? It is the story of a young boy who succeeded in killing the largest, most fearsome warrior in all the land, a feat that entire armies had failed to accomplish. And on top of that, he did it with a simple stone and a sling."

"And your point is?" Ramsey's only response was a sly smile.

"Commander, we've got another contact approaching from the east," Bordu reported. He switched their view of the surface to a split screen as what appeared to be an Honest John missile launcher rolled to a stop directly under the Martian craft.

"Is this your... sling, Mister Ramsey?"

"Indeed it is."

"You are going to attack a three-and-a-half mile ship with a single missile launcher? Surely you are joking!"

"Perhaps if you took a closer look at its payload, you might feel inclined to take it a little more seriously," Ramsey suggested. Bordu suddenly grabbed his commanding officer's arm.

"Sir, you need to see this!" The scanner read-outs revealed further details about the missile in question.

"A nuclear warhead?" Argon said in disbelief before looking back up at Ramsey.

"Indeed. Our organization is worldwide, Commander. Contacting our agents here in Japan and acquiring what we needed was a simple task. Although we have limited intelligence regarding your ship, we assume that you have some level of protection from radiation or nuclear attack. But a ground zero blast however..." The human trailed off with a wicked expression on his face.

"You are mad!" the Simeon Commander shouted angrily.

"I assure you that I am quite sane."

"What would you accomplish by destroying us, our ship and yourselves in the process?"

"Actually, it will only be you and your ship that is destroyed. Our craft can withstand the detonation just fine."

"That ship is surrounded by some kind of force field, sir. It is practically impenetrable," a Simeon technician advised.

"Commander? I think I might have something over here." Bordu motioned for Argon to step over to the console he was working at. "I ran the ship's configuration through our data banks and this is what we are dealing with." Argon looked over his shoulder at the information presented.

"I see... It is from the Martian invasion of 1953. Does it have any weaknesses?"

"Still working on that, sir. Back in the day, these things practically surfed through an atomic bomb blast like it was nothing."

"He is quite correct," Ramsey noted.

"Why destroy your only means of escaping this doomed world?" Argon asked.

"We would rather die than watch YOU escape with the craft, that I can guarantee you, Commander. If you do not yield to us, we WILL destroy you completely and without remorse. You will order your people to exit the ship immediately."

"I see... And just how do you plan to pilot it? By reading the instruction manual?" Argon asked sarcastically.

"An easily resolved detail. Certain members of your race will be retained to insure the proper operation of the ship."

"What makes you think they will do what you want them to? Every one of my people would sooner die than be used by you!"

"That is why you and the women and children will remain aboard, Commander. To be executed at a moment's notice if any of you defy us. You may be willing to sacrifice your own lives but would the death of innocents because of your defiance be something you could live with? It would be wise for you to surrender now."

Argon was about to let loose an angry retort when Bordu gave him a slight jab with his elbow. Behind the monitor, his right hand was giving a hand signal to cut off communications with their adversary so that they could confer without the Advocates hearing what he had to say. Argon looked at the screen.

"Can you give me a moment to speak with my crew in private?"

"Very well... Even if you are planning something, it will do you no good. You cannot harm us," Ramsey informed them as he closed the link.

"What have you got, Lieutenant?" Argon asked anxiously.

"Trying to use brute force of any kind is indeed useless, sir, but... There is a certain kind of energy that their force field is generating. If I can send out a matching carrier wave signal -"

"Then you can open a hole in it!" Argon cut him off. "What about the nuke?"

"It's protected by the same forcefield but once that is down, I can deal with it, too."

"Get to it, rookie. I will try to stall them to gain some time." Ramsey suddenly reopened the frequency and reappeared on the screen.

"I am growing tired of the pointless exchange this is becoming, Commander."

"Then we will end it. We are prepared to surrender the ship to you."

"A wise decision, Commander."

"I will personally surrender myself into your custody. Will you be kind enough to meet me on the ground in front of your ship?"

"A most gracious offer, Commander, and one that I most certainly except."

"Very well, then. Over and out." Argon cut the communications link and prepared to go topside. He walked across the field at the base of Mount Tokachi to the Martian ship's position where Ramsey was waiting, standing directly under the shadow of his craft and watching the Simeon Commander warily.

"Greetings, Commander Argon. It is good to finally meet you face to face. And just so you know, if this is some pathetic ruse or an attempt at deception, I am protected by the same field that encases my ship. If you are planning something, I assure you that your efforts will be utterly futile."

"Why do you hate us so much?"

"I don't know if it is so much you as it is my former country's approach to your kind, as well as ANY foreign nation or people. Why is our economy in disarray? Why do we have a trillion dollar deficit? Why is the crime rate at an all time high? Why do immigrants and foreigners of any and every stripe have more privileges and rights than hard-working American citizens born in my homeland? Why do we rebuild and help countries that once tried to kill us in times of war?

"Our borders never closed, no matter how over-populated our nation was becoming. We never said NO to any country that begged for assistance, no matter the reason or cause, regardless of how much it cost us in both lives and money or how ill-prepared we were to cope with those so-called 'situations'. The land of the free and the home of the brave... Only it was for everyone but us.

"The United States was no longer the dominant super power it once was but became the laughingstock of the entire world! America bent over backwards to give a handout to anyone who wanted or needed it, just to try and win the favor of a world that despised us for being able to. The United Nations debacle proved that, I would say."

"A lot of what you say has merit. I myself had some choice words for the U.N. recently..."

"Then you understand why we must do this?"

"I understand why you feel the way you do but not your course of action."

"What you think matters not. You, like all the others, are part of the problem, not the solution. We will forge a new way of life, devoid of weakness or cowardice, doing what must be done to ensure the survival of those who truly deserve to live."

"So this is your answer to that problem?"

"Yes."

"And there is no way of reasoning with you at all?"

"No, there is not." Ramsey pulled out a gun he had tucked in his belt behind his back and pointed it toward the Simeon Commander.

"Is this the part where you take me up in your ship and parade me around like a trophy?"

"No, this is the part where I kill you. I really don't need you after all. The women and children of your race will be suitable hostages to ensure cooperation. For what it is worth, you are wise... for an alien. Goodbye... Commander." As Ramsey brought his weapon up to fire, a blinking light and beeping alarm suddenly went off on Argon's belt. "What is that?" he asked.

"The sound of you getting your ass kicked," Argon sneered as a transmission came over Ramsey's portable radio.

"Sir! We are losing the force field! Some kind of hole has opened up in it!" a frantic voice was shouting.

"What? No!" Ramsey stammered, looking up at Argon in shock. "Fire the warhead!" he ordered frantically.

"We can't, sir! We have lost control of it! Someone has remote accessed it!" The voice on the other end shrieked as the missile fired upward into the sky and veered away from the Simeon mothership. A split second later, the base fired its laser cannons, striking the Martian craft hard and blowing its serpentine 'head' off.

A second shot de-stabilized its magnetic field generator and the huge craft began to shake violently. Argon and Ramsey both dove and rolled out of the way to avoid being crushed. Advocates streamed out of the access doors, charging onto the field with guns blazing. Likewise, a massive horde of Simeons led by Bordu poured out of their base. Casualties resulted on both sides but it quickly became obvious that the Advocates were greatly outnumbered. In the ensuing chaos, Argon managed to get his hands on Ramsey and fully intended to pummel him.

"You have ruined everything, you bloody baboon!" the human shrieked as he threw a punch that Argon easily side-stepped before giving the Advocate leader a kidney punch for good measure. He retaliated with a weak backhand as his associates were quickly forced to retreat, using their downed ship as cover from the advancing Simeons' blaster fire.

"We are resolute in our cause! Even in the face of death, we shall not be denied! We will fight to the last man for what we believe in! This is why we are the Advocates!" Ramsey howled as he got his hands around Argon's throat and started to strangle him. The huge Simeon gave him a stiff head butt, followed by a brutal sweep kick into the side of his right knee. The crazed human went down with a scream, falling and twisting the leg in a way it shouldn't as the kneecap dislocated. Prone on the ground and clutching the injury, he looked up to see the Commander bearing down on him.

"The only thing that you're an advocate for is stupidity. Give it up, Ramsey! You have lost."

"Never!" he roared as he lunged up. Argon drilled him with a left roundhouse to the temple, knocking him out cold and into a heap on the ground. The Simeons closed in on the remaining Advocates as strong seismic activity began to shake the area. Over his communicator, Argon was advised that all of Hokkaido had just been rocked by a massive earthquake.

"Get back aboard the ship immediately! That's an order!" he yelled to his troops who quickly rushed back towards the base.

"Is everyone on board?" Argon yelled to Bordu who ran up alongside him, trying to make himself heard over the rumbling of the very ground itself.

"Yes, sir! We're the last ones out here," his aide shouted back as they made a mad dash toward the entrance to the mothership.

"What about the missile?" Argon asked.

"Detonated in deep space."

Suddenly, a massive fissure opened up, cracking and splitting the ground directly in front of them. Argon jumped the quickly-spreading chasm, landed and rolled across the opposite side but Bordu lost his footing coming down on the edge when it crumbled and started to give way. He did manage to grab onto the side of the fissure and shouted to Argon who rushed back when he discovered the ape had vanished from his sight. The burly Simeon quickly peered over the rift and extended an arm to his desperate comrade.

"Take my hand, Bordu!" he shouted. The younger ape reached towards the out-stretched paw as the trembling and shifting earth caused the chasm to start closing back up. At the last possible second, Argon pulled him up as the crack slammed shut. They quickly rushed up the ramp and secured the door behind them.

"Activate the booster rockets. Get us up and out of here!" Argon ordered as they charged onto the command bridge. As the lift-off engines ignited, huge splits and cracks in the ground spider-webbed their way towards the ship. The subterranean bedrock beneath it began to crumble and give way. Before they could get clear, the massive craft started to sink.

"Full power to all engines!" Argon directed the pilot, pushing the ship to its design limits. From the ground, it appeared as if the mothership and the hill that had concealed it had suddenly fallen into the rapidly collapsing landscape but seconds later, the giant Simeon craft once again lifted off and away from a doomed planet, blasting up and through its remnants as the entire area turned into a massive sinkhole.

"We're up and clear, sir!" the pilot shouted with a sigh of relief which his commander shared. Every ape on the flight deck roared their approval and jumped with glee before rushing over to pound Argon's back in a display of unbridled camaraderie not seen since long before they ever left their homeworld.

_Goodbye, Earth_

Gamera tried to count his enemies and painfully realized that the massive flocks of Gyaos that spread from horizon to horizon were impossible to number. The teeming swarm of blood-red wings, claws and anvil-shaped heads filled the night sky like hell's sea.

Waves of the beasts descended on the Earth below, finding the scattered villages and towns that had so far evaded their attentions. Even from his vantage point deep in the Amazon, Gamera could still hear the cries of pain and death from the hapless human colonies. He knew there was no hope for them. There was no hope, period. There was no possible way for him to overcome the swarm. No monster or race of people ever could. The Gyaos couldn't have picked a worse time to mass together like this. Earth was doomed, a fact which caused him to weep. Gamera wondered what he was fighting for, why he shouldn't just escape from the planet while he still could.

It was then that he heard a familiar cry of war coming from the heavens. The sky lit up with fire as several hundred Gyaos were incinerated by a sheet of flame. It couldn't be... He quickly got airborne to get a better look. As he watched in amazement, a shelled behemoth came into view like an angel of retribution, spewing flames which decimated the Gyaos horde. Gamera's heart warmed and his spirit rose. His blood brother had returned to the Earth in its darkest hour.

The second Gamera stopped fighting for a moment and they locked eyes for the first time in years. The elder of the two, who had returned, simply nodded, knowing that what he had to say, and what had to be done, could not be expressed in words. Gamera acknowledged him likewise and they let out avenging cries of challenge to the Gyaos whose racket was temporarily drowned out by the chorus. The two brothers, the last of their kind, rose as one to fight against the Shadow of Evil but nothing could stop the Gyaos. For every demon bird killed, a hundred more took its place. The Gameras fought on valiantly against an enemy they knew they could not possibly defeat.

The elder bellowed and blasted another sheet of Gyaos into oblivion. Suddenly, he let out a pained cry as a massive and obviously well-fed specimen attached its serrated jaws to his leg. The creature savaged the appendage before tearing off a chunk of meat. The younger Gamera fired a ball of flame, enveloping and incinerating the abomination's head. Its carcass fell but not far before being torn apart. Not a single drop of blood escaped the churning, voracious sea of hungry reptilian birds as a terrible shriek echoed through the swarm.

With the scent of blood, the Gyaos moved in on the older Gamera. The guardian bellowed in agony as his leg was ripped to shreds by teeth, claws and sonic beams. He attempted to fight off the murderous birds but to no avail. His brother bellowed and closed on his long-lost ally, spinning like a top and blasting white-hot flames everywhere, temporarily warding off the Gyaos.

"Brother... leave me. There is no more reason to stay here. This planet is doomed and so am I. We both know this. Please, save yourself... " the elder Gamera pleaded through his pain.

"I am not leaving without you!" the younger guardian firmly insisted.

"Don't be a hero. There is no point anymore," his older sibling said mournfully. "Our fight is finished. This world... There is no hope for it."

"As long as I still live, I will have hope." The elder admired his brother's bravery, something he himself thought he had lost a long time ago. His younger brother began to rise into the sky and he nodded. He knew what must be done.

"Good luck... my brother."


	20. Last Stand

In Tokyo Bay, the ocean began to churn and boil as the out-of-control heat and radioactivity in its depths announced Godzilla's arrival before his massive frame even broke the water's surface. When he raised his head up to let out his trademark roar, it quickly gave way to agonized shrieks and wheezes as the burning pain he felt within him continued to intensify.

He had barely made it ashore when a sudden underground explosion tripped him, causing him to briefly stagger backward. Rising from the pit created by the blast was Gigan but the cyborg had been modified.

A new visor, special armor plating on the torso and legs; a giant pincher on its right hand and twin Gatling guns on its left now augmented its arsenal. Before Godzilla could fully register what was happening, a pair of blue beams shot from the now two-eyed visor, striking him squarely in the chest. His body began to literally freeze.

Confused and angry, Godzilla expelled his supercharged breath into the Nebulan construct. The beam began to push Gigan back but didn't appear to be doing any damage as most of it was deflected off its armor. It seemed to break apart and arc off in different directions as the freeze masers continued to consume Godzilla's body. Inside the cockpit that had been installed in Gigan's head, Chairman Fumio Subo beamed with satisfaction.

"It looks like the synthetic diamond coating is working nicely. The freeze masers are continuing to envelop Godzilla and his body temperature is beginning to drop," Kubota reported.

"Excellent." Everything was going according to plan. Right after he had succeeded in splitting up the UWP, he received word that their former base was being monitored by the Kilaaks. An inevitable conflict would result which the Nebulans could not hope to win. He then put an entirely new plan into motion.

When he had asked Kubota to see him in private, he sent his instructions to his PDA. Their 'deaths' had been faked with Nebulan decoys wearing skins identical to their own being killed. The attempt to take Seatopia was never anything more than an experiment.

Had it worked, Megalon would have been added to the Nebulan's offensive inventory alongside Gigan, Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus. Control of them would have been secured through holding the various UWP leaders hostage to ensure the loyalty and cooperation of the Seatopians and the Simeons but that did not come to pass.

The Kilaaks had forced his hand, essentially ruining his plans and forcing him to come up with a new one. When Fumio had set up this operation, it had dealt with taking the Earth without outside interference. The various other races that had come to Earth and the Kilaaks' betrayal changed all that.

However, a Kilaak informant loyal to Fumio told him of Karkaru's plans to destroy the Nebulans. Thus came about the fictional tale Fumio told Kubota about a new freeze weapon that could be used against the Kilaaks.

This resulted in the Kilaaks destroying their base. With everyone assuming they were all dead, Fumio, Kubota and a small band of Nebulans had departed via an underground tunnel in a shuttle specially designed to be invisible to scanning or detection devices whether earthly or alien.

They went to a secondary underground installation near Tokyo using the same shielding technology. There, they would be free to formulate a new strategy which had been to wait the conflict out while the various races and monsters destroyed one another.

After this, the Nebulans would radio their homeworld for reinforcements, wipe out what little remained of whomever was left and finally claim the Earth for themselves. As Fumio predicted, that was exactly what happened. The Space Force Directive imploded, the Kilaaks were destroyed by Godzilla, the United World Powers forces had been wiped out, the world's governments and military were in disarray and any monster that dared to stand in Godzilla's path between Delaware and Tokyo had been defeated, leaving only Gudis unaccounted for.

But then Fumio sat back and watched the planet itself slowly begin to die, its very ecosystem being damaged beyond repair by both the Kilaaks' activities, the Ghidorahs and the final death knell, Godzilla himself. As a result of the volcano ray he had been struck with, a devastating explosion was going to result that would blast the surface of the Earth clean of all life and leave it in ruins, making it unlivable for the Nebulans now and forevermore. It was a harsh truth to accept but one they had to come to grips with. Even out of this defeat was a new chance for victory and hope as Fumio came up with a new brainstorm - capture Godzilla.

The Monster King's breath was starting to waver as the freeze beams overtook him, slowing his movements and cooling the raging internal fire. Though he was angry to once again be a target of alien attack, there was a small part of him that welcomed the relief the cold granted his burning body.

The weapons being used by the Nebulans were a variation of the GOTENGO's. Components had been taken by Kubota and other covert Nebulan operatives to modify Gigan's eye beams. These were far more powerful and capable of freezing anything to almost absolute zero. Finally, Godzilla's barrage ceased and the kaiju let out one last cry of anger before seemingly freezing solid.

It was then that the remainder of the Nebulan invasion force hovered down into position behind Gigan. They had escaped their base with the Chairman and made sure to stay out of harm's way while Godzilla had been engaged.

"Status, Kubota?"

"Internal organs have shut down. Blood flow has ceased. Biological activity at zero."

"Very good. Disengage the freeze masers and deploy the stasis ray," Fumio ordered. The weapons were shut down and Gigan's tail swung around, pointing an odd contraption on the end of it toward Godzilla that emitted a series of circular energy waves until a bubble appeared around him.

The Nebulans had salvaged technology from a Xian saucer that dated back to 1965, installing its transport bubble device into Gigan's tail. Fumio operated the navigational controls as Gigan lifted up off the ground and hovered over Godzilla. A tractor beam from his tail engaged this precious and dangerous cargo. The cyborg ascended into the sky with the kaiju in tow. The small group Nebulan ships followed in short order.

Fumio's new plan was simple: He would take Godzilla back to the Nebulan homeworld, use their advanced technology to permanently regulate his unstable radioactivity to avoid destruction and then implant devices in his brain to bring the kaiju king under their control.

The Earth was a lost cause but with this new super-powered beast in their thrall, the Nebulans could now conquer planets they would have never dared attempt before. Victory was as good as theirs. Of course, it would take some doing on Fumio's part to convince the Revered but he knew he would succeed. He always did.

"Chairman! Something is wrong!" Kubota blurted out. "Godzilla's body temperature is rising again!"

"What?"

"Climbing quickly! It's exceeding its previous levels. His body is starting to thaw!" Suddenly, Godzilla loosed an incredible nuclear pulse that shattered the stasis bubble, resulting in an explosion so great that it knocked Gigan out of the sky and took out half the ships that were in close proximity. Both kaiju fell back to the Earth below, right into the heart of the once-proud but now decimated city of Tokyo.

Fumio managed to regain control before they crashed and Gigan came down slowly where Godzilla had landed. With a mighty roar, the kaiju king rose up, limbering himself and shaking all over as his once-again burning body freed his frozen extremities from their cold-induced stiffness. Fumio and Kubota looked on in disbelief as with an angry growl, the living, breathing nuclear inferno began to stride toward them. Godzilla would have vengeance on the creature that had killed the only true friend and ally he ever had.

"The freeze masers again. Quickly!" Fumio ordered frantically. As Godzilla drew closer, Gigan fired both the freeze masers and his twin Gatling guns' armor piercing rounds but they didn't slow the beast down in the slightest. The remaining Nebulan ships added their own firepower to the mix but it was all for naught as Godzilla destroyed the annoying craft with one pass of his breath ray.

"It's not working!" Kubota bawled. Just as Godzilla came within arm's reach, Fumio sent Gigan's right arm pincher up, clamping it around the monster's neck. The monster king reached up and easily pulled the claw away as he overpowered its hydraulics before ripping the appendage in half. The left arm gun turrets slammed upside his head but only staggered him briefly. Godzilla wrapped his arms around Gigan and began to crush its insides.

In the cockpit, damage and compression warnings began to blare as Kubota desperately activated the chest saw while Fumio tried lifting off into the air. The implant revved to life but Godzilla's hide had become so tough that the blades instantly dulled, broke and shattered to pieces. As Gigan rose into the air, the intense heat and radioactivity coming off Godzilla began to short circuit various systems.

His flight stabilizers failed as the synthetic diamond armor began to melt. When he crashed back down, Godzilla went back to crushing his enemy. Fumio was left with no other option but escape.

Gigan's head suddenly disconnected from the rest of the body and jetted off into the sky. Godzilla threw the remains of the machine aside and lifted his head toward the fleeing module. A blast of supercharged radioactive fire shot forth from his jaws. The two terrified Nebulans watched the flowing firestorm gaining them, their escape craft already flying at maximum speed. Only a split second before the beam devoured them did they realize that they were going to die. In that brief moment, time seemed to stop as Fumio finally realized that he had indeed failed.

I failed? But that is impossible. I never fail. I succeed. I always... succeed he thought with a stunned look of disbelief on his face as his existence ended in a fiery explosion.

Godzilla turned his attention to what remained of Gigan and another expulsion of his breath obliterated the cyborg once and for all. He quickly spun around at the sound of clapping behind him. Slowly drifting down for a landing was Gudis.

_Gudis vs Godzilla_

"Who needs RAID when you've got Godzilla? He really kills roaches dead!" Gudis joked. "Ah, the Nebulans... Funny little creatures, they were. Always thought they were hot shit in a champagne glass when they were really just cold diarrhea in a Dixie cup.

"But look at it. Just look at it! The fire and devastation, the stench of burning flesh and wails of the suffering and the dying. Such delicious agony! Such touching and moving despair! Never have I seen anything so lovely. Don't you agree?"

Gudis held his arm out as if inviting him to inspect some prime real estate. Godzilla noticed certain aspects of Gudis' physical body, his nostrils picking up scents that told him Anguirus and King Seesar were standing in front of him, yet they obviously were not.

"What have you done?" he asked in angry confusion, even evident in kaiju-speak.

"What? Oh, the suit. Like it? Looks familiar, don't it? One hundred per cent pure Anguirus hide, accented nicely with Seesar fur," Gudis jibed.

"You will pay for desecrating Anguirus' body!" Godzilla thundered, his anger steadily rising.

"Oh please! He was friggin' dead! It's not like he was using it!" the alien spawn griped in an annoyed manner as Godzilla's eyes narrowed. "I can feel the unstable energies building within you. When you finally die, you will take this entire planet with you. Such destructive power sends chills down my spine. I must admit, I'm quite jealous," he went on.

"Why have you come here?" Godzilla growled, growing tired of Gudis' constant banter.

"I have come to claim that power as my own and I just have to know for myself before you die who is the strongest." Godzilla only gave a low snarl after quickly considering this arrogant statement. "So it comes down to this. You and I, one on one. We shall now see who the TRUE King of All Monsters really is!" Gudis proclaimed as he hit Godzilla with one of his dreaded forearm beams, sending him flying back and plowing into a ruined building which crumbled down on top of him. Godzilla quickly erupted from the rubble without a scratch, looking angrier than ever.

Well, that ain't good... Gudis managed to realize before a breath blast hit him with so much force that it drove him down into and then under the ground. "It's going to take more than -" BLAM! Before he could fully get back up or finish, Godzilla blasted him again, sending him skidding through what little remained of the city.

"Is that all you have got -" BOOM! "Just wait 'til I -" KABLAM! "Will you just let me finish a damn sentence already? I'm -" BABOOM!

"You talk too much. Shut up and fight!" Godzilla growled, hitting the Gudis with yet more beam blasts. The alien virus pulled himself back up with several holes and chunks blown out of his body by the vicious assault but his regeneration quickly healed the damage. He leaped up to avoid yet another blast of radioactivity and landed in front of the Kaiju King, clasping his arms around him to use a German release belly-to-belly suplex.

Godzilla landed on his head hard. As he picked himself back up, the Gudis grabbed him again, this time judo-throwing him into a nearby structure that toppled under the kaiju's great weight. Before Godzilla could dig himself out, Gudis hauled him up into the sky, only to come back down and give his opponent a sit-down pile driver through the top of another building, completely demolishing it as they crashed downward. As Godzilla's head and neck smashed into the foundation, it contorted and bent at an unnatural angle. The recoil from the impact made the saurian's body bounce and flip into the air before coming back down in a heap.

A few seconds later, the mighty saurian was back up, twisting his head and neck to reset and realign the vertebrae within, much to Gudis' shock. The frustrated abomination attacked again and went into a spin to try and land a triple hit combination with a backhand, a tail swing and a roundhouse kick. Godzilla side-stepped the punch, ducked his tail and caught Gudis' ankle in his right claw to throw him through a building.

The Gudis unfolded his wings and veered back around, slamming into him head on. With his feet dug into the crushed concrete beneath him, the Monster King stopped Gudis' forward momentum, picked him up and then smashed him back down with tremendous force. Godzilla reached down, grabbed Gudis' head and jerked him back up before drilling him into the ground face first.

As the battle continued, the landscape around them was quickly transforming into hell on Earth as flames and lava spurts could be seen throughout the ravaged city while the ground shook from swarms of tremors and earthquakes. The two warring titans couldn't care less as they viciously ripped and tore into each other.

Gudis connected with a sideways scissor-kick to the head. Godzilla let the momentum from the attack spin him around so he could bring his massive tail into play. His opponent ducked and popped back up but caught a breath blast to the chest, flying backwards once more. The vile creature dug his arms into the concrete and bedrock to stop his backwards momentum and quickly sent his tentacles forth to wrap around a building on either side of him. He then ripped the structures loose and swung them together, smashing Godzilla as a sandwich between them.

The Monster King shrugged off the assault, only to see the Gudis diving down at him. He side-stepped the attempted strike and swung his tail up into the Gudis' chin, sending him flying head over heels. Using his wings to catch himself, Gudis' tentacles surged out again, this time wrapping around Godzilla who gave a sharp pull on them, jerking the monstrosity towards him to deliver a punch straight into his jaw, ripping it from his face. He then used the appendages to swing the Gudis up over his head and smash him back down into the ground. Still gripping them, he swung his foe around in the air, crashing him head first through several buildings before driving him back into the ground. Gudis fired off one of his forearm beams, severing his own tentacles and pushing Godzilla back to get some distance between them as he waited for his jaw to regenerate.

"Hey, look! I'm a Pez dispenser!" Gudis snickered as he picked one of the felled structures up and hurled it through the air. Godzilla obliterated it before it could ever reach him but it was merely a distraction. The Gudis slammed his right elbow into his jaw, followed by a spinning heel-kick from his left foot and an uppercut kick from his right as Godzilla toppled over.

But as he went down, his tail swung up into the side of Gudis' head. He hit the ground hard as well. The Monster King got back up as Gudis brought out his big guns, hitting him with both arm beams at point-blank range which pushed him back. Godzilla dug his feet in once again and began to slow himself down. Soon, he came to a complete stop and actually started walking towards Gudis with both beams still pushing against him.

Gudis scowled in disbelief as he poured even more power into the effort but Godzilla continued to march forward, undaunted. Soon, he was practically right in front of Gudis who added his eye beams and heat ray to the mix but to no avail.

"This is impossible!" Gudis shrieked a split second before Godzilla grabbed hold of both his wrists and slowly forced them up towards the Gudis' face. The viral abomination tried to resist but Godzilla's strength was too great. His arms were shoved up into his head, resulting in it getting blown completely off by the Gudis' own beams.

Before the alien aberration could regenerate or even fall down, Godzilla grabbed him in a bear hug and let loose a nuclear pulse that seared the hide off the Gudis' body. Letting him drop in a mangled heap to the ground, Godzilla staggered backward, the extent of the damage clear as his torso had been completely melted away by the powerful blast. He fell to one knee and brought his hands up to his chest and belly to prevent his internal organs and intestines from falling out while his now hyperactive regeneration healed the damage. If Godzilla had tried to take that attack a day earlier, it would have killed him.

The Gudis was also regenerating. As he slowly rose, his face sported a sickening smile as it grew back. When both combatants had healed, they stood and stared one another down once again.

"Let's see how you handle this!" Gudis howled with sadistic joy as he fired off his arm beams. This time, the blast was comprised of energy he had absorbed from the breath blasts Godzilla had hit him with, augmented by his own power. As the terrible attack plowed into Godzilla like a freight train, he went flying off into the distance and landed with a thunderous crash.

Before he could get back up, the Gudis was on top of him, reared back with a massive energy ball between his palms which he hurled downward before its target had time to dodge. The explosive force was so great that it drove the saurian deep into the ground. The Gudis followed after him but moments later was sent spiraling back up and out of the hole by a blast from Godzilla who soon lumbered out after him.

As he did so, the Gudis flew over to the felled Park Tower Building, wrenched it up off the ground and swung it around, smashing it into Godzilla like a massive club. The kaiju went rolling. Dropping his makeshift weapon, Gudis attempted to fly straight at him but Godzilla reached behind himself, ripping up another structure he had been backed into and hammered it down on top of the Gudis with incredible force a split second before he reached him.

Suddenly, Mothra swooped down behind Gudis, slamming into him and then pulling back into the sky. Her dive-bombing attack put the demon face first into the smoldering ashes and coals of the Nishi-shinjuku district of Tokyo. Gudis got back up, only to be hit head-on by a blue streak of light, plowing him backwards across the city and smashing into the remains of several partially-standing buildings which fell on top of him.

Mothra flew overhead, circling the area until she could generate an Elias Seal which fell where Gudis lay. For a few brief moments, the decimated battlefield was quiet but both Godzilla and Mothra knew that he would be back up no time.

The moth goddess flew down toward the Monster King and tilted slightly with her wings outstretched to hover beside him. Temporarily, this evil creature had been knocked out by Godzilla's awesome power. Feeling the effects of her own violent attack, Mothra showed sympathy for the great saurian, her eyes glistening as she gazed upon his burning body. It was as though he was in terrible agony from the nuclear fusion that sizzled within him. She couldn't help but notice how his abdomen, legs and chest were an eerie red color and it was frightening to hear the slight grunts as he tried to contain the power building up.

"Godzilla? What has happened to you?" she murmured in kaiju-speak, scanning him as she felt the heat radiating from his body. "You are dying because of humanity's arrogance! On numerous encounters I have had with them, I have told them to learn from their mistakes and make themselves better than what they are. They have completely ignored me and now it comes to this, with terrible torment inflicted upon a creature they created from their own weapons and technology.

"This is what will bring an end to the planet, humanity's ignorance. I have been protecting the Earth's destroyers!" Mothra cast another glance upon Godzilla. Her findings were overwhelming and her heart seemed to tighten in a knot as she tried to keep her great sadness at bay.

Godzilla stood in silence as the great moth gathered her thoughts. Only the sound of her beating wings and the hissing of the steam pouring out of his body could be heard. He looked out over the burning city as plumes of fire spat into the air and ever-increasing seismic shocks brought down whatever unstable buildings remained.

"I... I am dying..." Godzilla muttered, gasping for air. "Mothra, you must leave now. When I die, this whole area, and perhaps the entire world, will be destroyed, meaning you with it! All I wanted was to return home... " He lowered his head toward the ground. "But they would not allow it. They kept fighting me, keeping me from my homeland, from my only source of food which they cursed upon me.

"They try to kill me - the monsters, the people, the invaders. They want me dead. Why can't they accept the judgment I deliver upon them?" Godzilla's emotions ran high with the combined pain of his burning body and the fiery rage he felt rekindling inside him. In a burst of anger, he reared back and roared defiantly into the air at anyone that could hear him.

"I hate them so much! I hate it all! And I hate you!" Godzilla bellowed and snapped his head in Mothra's direction. "You were always fighting against me! You were always fighting for them! Are you that blind?" His confession abruptly ended in a squeal of pain as a surge of burning energy charged within his tortured body.

"All I want is to die!" Mothra's emotions were almost to the breaking point also. Everything she had stood for and her entire reason for being was being challenged. Her face reflected her own agony and torment.

What was she to do? Mothra knew that Godzilla was in a terrible rage and glaring at her with hate in his eyes.

"Maybe I was blind but you could also consider yourself blind for your hate toward them and myself. You do not see the purity in them as I do. You want to judge the humans and punish them. What right do you have to punish your creators?"

"You say that as if I should be grateful to them! Did I ask for this life? This body? My so-called creators have despoiled me! I was content and happy before their perverse power transformed me into what I am. They are violators and destroyers of life and nature and YOU protect them!" Godzilla accused her angrily.

"I protected them because I saw a hope in their hearts. Humanity is not always bad. Yes, they have made mistakes but nobody is perfect - not humans, not even you or myself. Was it wrong for me to protect the Earth and its contents? You obviously have forgotten that we were allies once - more than once. Why do you target your anger at me when you used to protect the world as well as your home? Do not wish yourself to die. All life has been put on this planet for a reason, even you," Mothra murmured as she flew down closer to him.

"I only fought beside your sibling and even then, it was against mutual enemies! I never protected humans. I protected myself, my son and my home, not humans!" Godzilla roared in kaiju-speak. Mothra feared his rage as a small child might quiver before an adult.

"Then save the Earth! Save your home!" Mothra cried. "I am saving mankind!" And with that, the mighty moth began to fly toward the buried Gudis. "I am not leaving you. We must defeat this demon together. There is the possibility that I may heal you," she explained.

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High above, the Elias' eyes filled with tears as they listened to the two great kaiju and had an idea of the pain they were going through.

"You will be killed!" Godzilla snarled.

"And so I shall," Mothra replied. She felt a blast of heat approaching from behind and immediately swooped to her right, barely dodging a spray of atomic fire. She turned back to Godzilla in surprise.

"You stupid bug! If life is so precious to you, then save it! Gudis is mine!"

"But... " she started to question him but was at a loss for words.

"There is no world left to save! Save yourself... and save my son... " Suddenly, the ground shook and Gudis stirred in the ruins that had buried him. Godzilla looked at the mutation before him which breathed heavily as rage swelled in its eyes. "Leave... please!" he pleaded to Mothra.

"I will not abandon you. I can help you! And I must protect this planet. I can not let it be destroyed!"

"There is no longer any Earth to protect. The invaders have completely ruined it," Godzilla gasped. "My encounters with members of your race in the past have been far from peaceable. I have even tried destroying them before. Why would you desire to become my ally now?" Mothra extended her claw and placed it on Godzilla's. A blaze of telepathic images streaked through her mind and she began to feel the pain he was experiencing and cringed.

"Because I can tell the difference between good and evil and you are not evil. You are a creature that knows right from wrong. If an evil entity invades this planet, you protect it as I do," she explained.

"I appreciate your kindness toward me, Mothra, but I am dying and you can not do anything to stop it. It will just destroy you. It is my last request that you leave this terrible corrupted, destroyed world and flee into space where you can live on." Mothra felt a lump in her throat as she listened to Godzilla's gasping words.

"If you are going to die, then I shall die alongside you. Without an Earth to protect, what will I do? Mourn its destruction for the rest of my life?"

"I know what you mean but you are a goddess. Your power exceeds my own, even now. And you alone may be able to save and preserve the memory of this planet. I implore you! Please leave and save the Earth that is in your memory." Godzilla shuddered as he felt a terrible, sizzling sensation in his heart. "LEAVE NOW. PLEASE!" he roared.

Mothra flew toward him and softly touched his face with her tiny feet, laying her head down upon his. Her antennae glowed bright orange-yellow and sparkling dust shimmered onto the mighty creature who felt a brief respite from his burning pain and a small burst of renewed energy and strength.

"It is done, then," Mothra declared, pulling away from him.

"Go now," Godzilla insisted. "Before it is too late. And protect my son."

"I promise." Mothra looked once more upon the great dinosaur as she began to fly upward and turned her attention to the stars. Godzilla stood still and as his head tilted to watch her soar into the night, he heard the beautiful, soft and soothing music of the Guardian of the Earth.

And now Godzilla thought, Gudis will die!

The abomination erupted from the debris, heading skyward as the Elias Seal shattered. He slammed into Mothra hard, dragging her back down as he proceeded to crush her head in his claws.

"You are no longer my equal! Now you die!" he rumbled before Godzilla blind-sided him. Mothra quickly broke free and sped away. Gudis turned, bringing his right knee up into Godzilla's chin, followed by a head butt and a mid-air flipping roundhouse kick to the side of his head. Godzilla managed to keep from falling and tried to blast the Gudis who quickly plummeted into the ground, taking advantage of Anguirus' burrowing skills to disappear from sight. The enraged saurian looked all about for any sign of movement.

Suddenly, the Gudis' tentacles shot forth out of the ground, wrapping around and pulling on his arms and legs. Godzilla roared defiantly as he painfully felt his limbs being slowly pulled out of their sockets. Summoning deep reserves of strength, he heaved with all his might, overpowering the tendrils and ripping them from the ground.

An angry Gudis emerged right in front of him and they locked together in a test of strength, pushing against one another. Still holding him in their grappling contest, a waft of spores drifted off of the Gudis' body onto Godzilla. The kaiju flinched ever so slightly, shaking his head back and forth in a disoriented manner as the Gudis virus invaded his being. Godzilla roared in anger but he suddenly felt very dizzy, as if he was losing his sense of balance. He stumbled around, moving away from the Gudis until he fell to one knee.

"So this is how it ends for the so-called mightiest monster on the face of the planet... News flash, Dino: You have just been upstaged. Compared to me, you're about as dangerous as an irradiated Barney," Gudis taunted as he landed a stiff kick to the rib cage of the weakening monster.

"And to think that the feeble vermin upon this miserable mud ball of a planet actually feared you! In your stead, I will teach them what true terror is!" The Gudis threw a right punch across Godzilla's temple. He had to prop himself up with his arms to keep from collapsing completely.

"Look at you! What a joke! Do you have any idea how long I have waited for this opportunity to have a throw-down with you? The mere idea of a confrontation with you has stirred my imagination since I first learned of your existence, or at least it once did. This is very disappointing," Gudis snapped. With his hands outstretched from his sides, he kicked Godzilla square in the face, flipping him over onto his back.

"Ah, well... Perhaps it isn't a total loss. Maybe I'll make a pair of boots out of your scaly hide," Gudis joked sarcastically as Godzilla pushed himself to a sitting position. "In hand-to-hand combat, we may have been equals but on a sub-atomic level, you cannot hope to stand against me! Give it up. You don't stand a chance and you never did. This world, like so many others before it, is now...mine! Resistance is futil-"

The Gudis stopped in mid-sentence as he suddenly sensed something happening within Godzilla's body. The virus was always in constant psionic contact with its own DNA wherever it was or whatever it infected.

Something is terribly wrong! Gudis' cells were not assimilating Godzilla's DNA and the kaiju's own hyperactive G-cells were overtaking the Gudis virus. In this accelerated state, every single strand of DNA and cell within him had its powers magnified to inconceivable levels, which the Gudis was now about to learn the hard way.

"No... it can't be!" he snarled as an angry Godzilla suddenly hit him with a potent energy shockwave that sent him flying. Lunging back up, the saurian connected with a right punch that caved in his sternum and put the Gudis down hard. In anger and frustration, he tried to get back in the fight but Godzilla nonchalantly back-handed him aside to plow face-first into the ground. The Gudis tried again with a swing of his own but Godzilla caught his fist in his right claw while thrusting his left out, clasping it around his neck.

Pulling him in close to his blazing red eyes and uttering an angry snarl, for the first time in the countless eons he had existed, the Gudis felt fear. It was evident in his face and an emotion which he had inflicted for centuries, never believing he would ever experience it himself.

"Get away from me!" the Gudis shrieked as he hit Godzilla with point-blank shots of his eye and breath beams but this didn't phase the Monster King who brought back his right hand to repeatedly punch his face until it was beaten almost beyond recognition.

In desperation, Gudis brought forth his tentacles but he screamed as the coils burned the moment they touched Godzilla's hide. The saurian's jaws glowed bright as a shot of his now far more powerful breath sent the aberration flying back with a horrendous explosion that put him into the base of the still-standing KDDI Building which crumbled and then fell down on top of him with an earth-shaking crash.

A few moments passed before the Gudis finally started to move beneath the rubble but it was not in the explosive or flamboyant manner he had before. His movements were feeble and hindered by the severe mangling of his physical body. Gudis painfully dragged himself across the ground and managed to force himself upright as Godzilla charged toward him. He struggled to lift up his arms and fire both arm beams but they seemed to bounce and arc off Godzilla's body harmlessly right before he tackled him. They both smashed through the lower half of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, cleaving the 248 meter structure down like a blade of grass as they came out the other side.

The weakened, badly mauled and mutilated alien managed to heave himself into a sitting position as Godzilla stared down at the vile wretch with utter contempt, his dorsal plates beginning to glow once more. Another blast of radioactive fire put the Gudis down with a searing explosion. The nightmarish beast laid on the ground, quivering and twitching as the King of the Monsters slowly lumbered toward him.

Godzilla reached down, wrapped his right claw around Gudis' throat and wrenched him up off the ground to hold him up in the air and stare at him. The damage he was inflicting was so severe that the alien spawn's regeneration was having difficulty keeping up.

"You are beaten," Godzilla rumbled in kaiju-speak.

"Never!" the viral abomination shrieked as he summoned his own reserves of strength, unleashing a powerful energy shockwave that pushed the raging monster away, forcing him to relinquish his grip. Godzilla looked up from the ground where he landed to see Gudis barrelling at him as the fight began anew.

_The Wisdom of Mothra_

In Pusan, South Korea, Professor Dale Erickson slowly opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of the fiery glimmer of what remained of the city. He rolled over to check on his daughter who slept so peacefully while massive fires raged not very far away.

Just as in Wakkanai, death loomed in the air. It seemed to envelope the helicopter when they landed at what remained of a long-abandoned shipworks. At least a thousand people were gathered by the water's edge, praying and hoping for the salvation of their world. Despite the massive riots and confusion that were taking place in so many other places, there seemed to be an absence of violence and terror at this remote location. Children could be seen cradled in their mother's arms in an effort to ward off the bleakness of the night that washed over everyone, causing the youngest to become even more fearful.

The professor was perplexed. How could they hope to contain the mobs of rioting people that he had seen in the city itself as he flew over it? Would they not try to commandeer the ocean liner that was tied up at the dock in hopes that they would be safer at sea than on the constantly trembling ground? Voices whispered in his head, which seemed to blank out all other sound. He could also hear a mysterious yet enchanting melody that echoed on the wind blowing in from the sea. He turned around and spotted the two tiny steeds with the Elias and the Doubijin flying down from the sky. A smile spread across Erickson's face as he bowed his head respectfully.

"Do not fear. We bring you a token of our hope for the Earth," said Moll. The wise priestess reached under her cape and held a tiny shield in her hand. The metallic substance it was made of glowed like star light as dusk was falling.

"Take it," smiled Lora. He slowly accepted the offering and gently held it in the palm of his hand, awed by its beauty. Although it was quite small, it held a mystic energy he had never even imagined before.

"We give you the Seal of Elias, made by our forebears. It has the ability to harness universal energy. In fact, it was used to lock away the demonic Death Ghidorah. Take it and use it as a symbol of hope for humanity. It will provide wisdom, courage and love for you in times when you especially need it. Be safe and remain true to the Earth and your people," Moll said before the Elias and Doubijin faded from sight.

Professor Erickson smiled and tears came to his eyes as he listened to the Elias' voices echoing off into nothingness. He looked down at the luminescent Seal that rested as warmly in his hand as a hen sitting on her baby chicks.

The power of the mind is unlimited. It can reach where arms can not, through any barrier and even through the hearts of men and women. Use your heart and mind. Only then can you use the Seal of Elias successfully. You have the ability. The seed of courage, wisdom and love in you has to germinate. Only then can it grow and be used for good. Restore the hope within the people you want to rescue the voice of Mothra resonated in his mind.

Remembering Moll's words, he summoned the courage to fulfill his mission. Erickson grasped the Seal of Elias as he held it by the tiny chain connected to the back. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, concentrating his attention and hoping that he could do what the Elias and Mothra asked of him. After a while, there appeared to be little chance of success until he glanced at his daughter, Arwen, now standing beside him.

"You can do it, daddy," she whispered as she grasped his hand tightly. Again, tears began to gather in his eyes. He could feel the power of her love comforting his heart like a soft, gentle wave rushing up on the sands of a distant shore. He held the Seal high and it began to shine with a phosphorescence that attracted other refugee's attention.

"We are not defeated yet. We must save ourselves and Mothra can help us do that. Now, our faith lies in her hands. The end is near so join me in Earth's final hour, fellow men and women!" he said confidently.

As everyone gathered around and Erickson continued to speak to them, Arwen gazed at him with a gentle smile on her beautiful face. She was very proud of her father's courage. He truly had the same means that Mothra did to save humanity and even the Earth, if possible.

"An ocean liner is docked in the bay. There, we will be safe until Mothra can save us," he explained.

"Can we truly rely on Mothra? After all this terrible destruction?" a man shouted from the crowd.

"Has Mothra ever let the world and its people down? No! She has protected this planet for millions of years and still risks her life for us even now. We must have faith in her. She will come," Erickson assured them.

With his words of hope, the crowd began to run toward the ship looming against the horizon. Mothra could telepathically sense their decision and breathed easier.

Now comes the great exodus of our time she whispered.

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Professor Erickson anxiously gazed out the port hole and could see the veil of fire on the horizon as Pusan burned. He looked down at the Seal of Elias which glowed eerily but it seemed to calm him. Glancing at his daughter huddled nervously in the corner of their berth, he felt defenseless and wanted to save her from this impending doom. For a moment, he doubted if Mothra would come to rescue them. Was she killed by Gudis? Were the Elias killed as well? These questions bounced around in his mind and disheartened him until Arwen glanced outside.

"Daddy! Look!" she shouted. A bright beam of light flashed on the side of his face and a beautiful song echoed across the dying planet that seemed to drown out all other sounds from the tortured Earth. He looked out the port hole with a feeling of remorse, only to see a beautiful bright herald approaching. Tears ran down their faces as he managed a small smile.

It was as if time slowed down when Mothra appeared out of the red glow that covered the sky. An aura of white and yellow surrounded her, like an angel that came from heaven. She descended and gently grasped the hull of the ship. Everybody on board shouted joyously and hugged each other in relief as tears trickled down many faces.

Mothra flapped her wings and struggled to lift the heavy ocean liner. Soon, it was out of the death-stained water and rose into the air. A flutter of scales floated down as she flew ever higher into the sky. With all her might, she flew towards the heavens above, a terrible sadness growing in her heart as she started the journey away from her home. The Elias stared down at Godzilla who writhed in agony as he waited for his enemy to get up once more.

"Brave creature," Moll whispered with tears running down her cheeks. "Thank you. We will never forget you... Godzilla." At Moll's command, Fairy and Garu Garu swooped up into the sky to bring the Elias and Doubijin to Mothra.

"Live on, my friend. And thank you..." Godzilla whispered in kaiju-speak as he stared up at the Earth goddess who was now a distant shadow. He could hear her song echoing around the world once more but it gradually faded as the insect flew farther away from her homeworld.

Before reaching the clouds, Mothra turned and glanced back down upon Godzilla who was still battling Gudis. Huge chunks of earth blasted into the sky as the two leviathans still fought ferociously. Her eyes met Godzilla's for a brief moment that seemed as if it were long, endless years. She remembered all of the past encounters her predecessors had with the Monster King. Some were friendly while in others, they were adversaries. Despite the past, Mothra felt different towards Godzilla.

I shall protect your son at all costs. Fare thee well, Godzilla she mentally called back, taking off into the stratosphere and leaving behind the silent echo of her beautiful song. After a heart-wrenching fly-by, Mothra managed to jolt past the bounds of Earth's atmosphere.

In space, she took one glance back at the planet she loved so much. She could still see the red aura of light that flickered dimly on the planet's surface above where Godzilla and Gudis were battling.

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The AZAG-THOTH and its accompanying ships were leaving Earth's orbit when a proximity alert went off and the craft flying alongside the Viran flagship exploded in a shower of flame, smoke and debris.

"What has happened?" Mordant Zerrulus exclaimed with surprise.

"The Xian mothership! It is heading directly toward us!" Elarkus called out from his control console.

"Ken'trus..." C'seris hissed. One by one, the Viran ships were getting picked off. Although the Xians had lost their fleet in the battle with Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus, the massive mothership and its armaments was more than capable of taking on the entire Viran Earth contingent if called upon.

"Order all ships to return fire and increase speed at once!" ordered the Captain. The Xian ship's force field nullified their efforts and the fleeing armada continued to dwindle in numbers. "It is destroying every ship around us but has not fired at the AZAG-THOTH. Why is that?"

"Ken'trus is saving us for last. He always was arrogant and brazen... and a fool. Iodrakas. Prepare the super virus."

Aboard the Xian ship, the Controller sat back in his command chair with his hands clasped together, grinning confidently as he watched the destruction of his one-time 'allies' unfold on the main viewscreen.

"Controller, we have the flagship in our sights. We can destroy it at any time."

"Not yet. Take out every other Viran craft first and then hail C'seris." Soon, only the AZAG-THOTH remained and a communication signal sounded on the bridge.

"We are being hailed, Master."

"Open the channel." The main viewscreen switched over to reveal Ken'trus staring at them.

"Here to gloat, I take it?" C'seris observed with a cocked eye.

"But of course."

"I am not interested in wasting words with you, Ken'trus."

"Consider yourselves fortunate that I have allowed you to live a few moments longer than you otherwise would have. I did not extend such a courtesy to the Mysterians when I wiped them out."

"And I thought you and Koban had developed a rather nice accord... Perhaps you did him a favor by not agonizing him with a pretentious speech like you apparently are going to give to me."

"Accord? Surely you jest, Viran! This alliance was a sham and always was. I intended to destroy you both from the beginning. I simply used you all, nothing more. Your races are, were and always will be vastly inferior and pathetic, as I have sufficiently proven. I wanted you to know that before you die."

"Then please do not allow me to detain your superior magnificence any longer."

"Goodbye, C'seris."

"Goodbye indeed, Ken'trus."

"Controller! We have a malfunction," a technician to his left suddenly exclaimed. "A virus has been detected in the main computer!"

"What? That is impossible! Our computers can not be affected by viruses. Their defenses both without and within are iron-clad and impregnable."

"The virus is spreading quickly, sir!"

"Quarantine and delete the infection!"

"Trying, sir, but it is not working." The panicked crew member's hands flew furiously over his control panel. Then Ken'trus looked back at C'seris over the still-open communication frequency. Although his Viran beak was incapable of forming anything resembling a smile, the Controller could see the confidence in his eyes.

"What have you done?" he screamed.

"Given you a parting gift, of course." C'seris tilted his head and lifted his tentacles from his sides.

"How did you do this?" Ken'trus had now lost all of his arrogant self-assurance.

"It was not easy. Your anti-virus measures were indeed formidable but not infallible. Being life forms dependent on machinery, I would expect no less. Extensive study and analysis of Xian hardware and software was required but obviously worth it in the end."

"Treacherous cephalopod!"

"What did you expect? We certainly could not fight you directly so alternative methods were called for."

"How long have you been planning this?"

"Since the day the Space Force Directive was formed. The best part is that you practically let this happen. We could never have gotten the virus past your defenses so we had to alter it for travel along a different path, such as a communication frequency. YOU hailed us."

"Destroy them NOW! I want to see cooking, screaming calamari in front of me!" Ken'trus ordered at the top of his voice and absolutely furious.

"Can not comply, sir! The virus has knocked our weapons and almost all other major systems off line."

"It amuses me that you are actually surprised by this development. We also knew from the start that this alliance was faulty and were practically waiting for either you or Koban to double-cross us. A similar virus was ready for use on the Mysterians but you took care of that problem for us. Thank you for that."

For the first time in a long while, Ken'trus was speechless but his gaze spoke volumes. He wanted to reach through the viewscreen and strangle C'seris with his own tentacles.

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In another part of the ship, Ic'den was sealed away in his chamber, meditating in a sound-proof room that was cut off from the rest of the ship when the door suddenly opened, revealing the calamity going on outside as Rentis stepped through.

"What is going on?" Ic'den asked in confusion, having been jarred out of his psychic trance.

"We must get you out of here. Now!"

"What? Rentis. Tell me what is happening!" he demanded, standing up quickly.

"We are dead, Ic'den. Finished! A virus created by the Virans has infected our main frame that will destroy us all. I must get you to safety!"

"But what of my father?"

"There is no time!"

"But, Rentis..." the confused young Xian was at a loss as to what was happening or what would.

"Your father started all of this! It was his actions that led us down this path and to our own ruin!"

"You would have me abandon my father and my people?"

"With the destruction of the fleet, the only ship that remains is the escape pod reserved for the Controller. It is nearby and you must take it. Now!"

"Then it is my father who should use it, not I."

"Your father is too busy bickering on the bridge with C'seris to even realize that he is staring oblivion in the face. Now come with me!"

"No!"

"Do you realize that we are all going to die?" Rentis pleaded.

"Then I will die with the rest of you!"

"This is no time for stubborn pride! Someone has to survive so that all of this need not be in vain. Despite being a kaiser, despite being Ken'trus' son, I know that your ideals do not follow war, death or conquest. You, as Ken'trus' successor, must foster those beliefs to save our civilization."

"How do I know they will follow me? The history of our race is defined by conquest."

"A race is not always dictated by blood or circuitry. Sometimes it is something more; something stronger, deeper, immaterial. My mother taught me that..." the half-human tried to explain.

"What you suggest goes against everything it is to be a Xian..."

"Did that stop my mother?" he asked with a smile, uncharacteristic for their species. "The time has come for change and you, Ic'den, must be the one who takes the first step." The realization of what Rentis was trying to say finally struck home. "Go now. Quickly!"

"Thank you, Rentis... and goodbye," Ic'den said forlornly as he turned and made a mad dash for the escape pod.

Just then, a tone resonated throughout the Xian mothership. Its frequency was similar to that used by the humans back in 1965 against the first Xian invasion garrison but this one was far more advanced and deadly. The Xians' skulls literally began to explode as the virus forced the main reactor into a feedback loop that would destroy the ship itself.

"Farewell, Controller," C'seris spoke in a mocking tone as he cut off the transmission. "Now get us out of here," he ordered his crew.

The AZAG-THOTH sped away as the Xian craft began to collapse in on itself. As it came apart around him, Ken'trus screamed defiantly in a rage, shaking his fists in the air. A few moments later, an incredible explosion high above the Earth ended the Xian presence but a split second before, Ic'den's escape pod jetted away as fast as the ship's engines were capable of propelling it.

He had indeed escaped and survived. Now he faced an uncertain future, one he began to ponder as he flew through the dark depths of space.

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In Tokyo, the power of two monsters was reaching its apex. Godzilla was at the threshold of what his body could withstand while at the same time, the Gudis drank in the waves of power rolling off the kaiju king's body. Gudis himself was beginning to wonder - to doubt that the power he was up against was more than he could handle; more than even he was capable of assimilating.

No, it could not be! I refuse to believe it!

No longer using beams, the behemoths simply heaved back and traded gory and crippling blows as each connecting shot obliterated flesh and bone in massive amounts, only to regenerate all over again. Suddenly, the unstable battlefield upon which they stood began to give way as massive fissures opened all around them.

One particularly huge crevice appeared under their very feet and both kaiju plunged into the gaping abyss. As they fell, they continued to pound and rip at one another, twisting and spiraling downward. Nearing one side of the gorge, Gudis slammed Godzilla's head into the wall of the chasm, digging a long tear down the side of it. Godzilla wrenched free, bringing his jaws down on his enemy's face and ripping the skin off to expose the musculature underneath. Gudis let out a shrill, pain-filled howl.

After falling for what seemed miles, the two titans splashed down in a liquified rock flow that carried them into a subterranean lava tube. As the molten material ate at their flesh, they continued fighting, oblivious and uncaring of their hostile environment. They soon came to a huge underground cavern where their torn and battered bodies were deposited on what remained of its uncovered floor.

The two juggernauts charged at each other once more, clawing and grappling as Gudis waited for the inevitable moment of Godzilla's demise that was drawing ever closer. Amidst the carnage and chaos, the abomination looked deep into the kaiju king's eyes as the chain reaction began within him, both knowing that the time had finally come.

As it did, the waves of radiation rolling off Godzilla's body tripped a subconscious alarm within the Gudis' mind; a sudden warning that told him much to his horror that the power that was about to be unleashed was in fact too much, even for him to be able to devour.

An almost psychic premonition played out in Gudis' head that showed nothing but dust where he once stood and ashes were all that remained of his evil and contagion throughout all the known universes. When the realization hit him, Gudis' eyes went wide with fright.

"I see you finally figured it out," Godzilla began to say as the glow of his body increased. "I am going to die... and I am taking you with me!" he finished with a pained and furious bellow.

Backing away with a hiss, Gudis unfolded his wings and rocketed up toward the underside of the Earth's crust as Godzilla tried to nail him with a breath blast. But just before he could reach his goal, something else suddenly drilled down into the cavern. Gudis stopped dead in the air at the sight of a mauled and dying Megalon. The Seatopian defender flew downward and tackled him hard.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Gudis cursed futilely as they plummeted back toward Godzilla.

The great beast became the epicenter of an explosive blast like none other in the history of the planet. Even the catastrophic eruptions and shifts of the Earth itself during the last great geologic cataclysm paled in comparison. The Gudis' 11 billion year reign of terror had finally reached its end. With one more incredible roar from the three titans, the blast completely consumed them and they were no more.

Despite being several miles underground, the explosion was so powerful and all-encompassing that it rose up from the depths. The entire country of Japan was vaporized as the sea around it boiled for hundreds of miles in every direction as if it were molten lead. As the blast wave expanded, the end had finally come.

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As soon as the younger Gamera was out of range, the Gyaos moved in like giant, convoluted sharks on the Atlantean warrior that remained. His final bellows of pain wafted up through the atmosphere and struck his sibling in the deepest reaches of his heart. The younger let out a cry of anguish as he prepared to absorb Mana to unleash his ultimate weapon but the power did not come to him.

Desperate, he tried again but found that the great Mana supplies of the Earth had dried up. Horrified, Gamera opened his eyes as a familiar and evil presence entered his mind. He looked up to behold the broken form of King Ghidorah. The creature looked as if it had just escaped from the Gyaos horde but Gamera knew better. Only one creature on Earth could do this to such a beast.

The monster was glowing an evil shade of green as the last of Earth's Mana was absorbed into him. Ghidorah cackled, his laughter echoing through Gamera's head. The sound caused something to snap in his mind and an ineffable level of hatred that ran deep rose inside him, almost causing him to lose all sense of mental stability.

Before he could do anything, the King of Terror let loose a blast of gravitic energy into space and vanished in a shower of golden scales and the green energy remnants of the last of Earth's Mana. With a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach, Gamera watched the glowing red symbols of the Imperial signature Ghidorah had inscribed disappear from the surface of the Moon.

Gamera slowly turned to glance back down towards the Earth. Ash and dust filled the atmosphere. Where the surface wasn't obscured by the devastation wrought by the Kilaak's volcanic activities, the planet seemed to bleed as impossible numbers of Gyaos massed together to feed on what few remained of the world's inhabitants.

Suddenly, in the northeast, a brilliant flash of light shone through the layers of volcanic debris covering Japan. Gamera let out a cry of horror as the shockwave of an unimaginable explosion spread across the planet's surface like ripples on a pond. He was helpless to do anything to stop it and knew that it was the death blow of Godzilla himself, and for the first time in his life, Gamera felt weak.

This was total defeat and there was no going back. His hard-driven purpose - his entire life - was all for nothing. Gamera wept as he felt Gaia die. He knew now that his brother was right: There was nothing left to fight for. The thought of his brother - all of his lost brothers who, combined, MIGHT have been able to save this world, caused even more pain in his heart.

Like a demon creeping into his soul, Gamera's hatred for King Ghidorah came welling up from his sorrow. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind that it was unjust and foolish thinking but his rationality had been crushed by the destruction of everything he had ever cared about. Gamera began to shake violently, clenching his fists so hard that blood dripped from his hands. Drool formed along the fringes of his mouth as his eyes glossed over and rolled into his head.

Gamera's appendages retracted into his shell and the jets inside fired up. The Sentinel of Earth sped away from the doomed planet, hoping that he would never return.

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The force of the explosion was so great that it streaked and flared past the Earth's atmosphere. Mothra clutched her heart and felt her energy dimming for a moment as she sensed the Earth's life slipping away. A terrible cry of horror, sadness and agony burst from her mandibles and she could no longer sense Godzilla's presence.

The Elias also shared her horrific feelings and were appalled at what had just taken place. Lora was in tears and Belvera's face was buried in her hands. The Doubijin were likewise affected. Only Moll sat confidently, despite the fact that she also felt the same terrible emotions but she did not let that cloud her intuitive judgment.

Professor Erickson turned from the spectacle of the receding Earth and glanced back at his daughter who wept softly as she gazed up toward Mothra's mighty wing above them. As the red hue on the horizon receded, she breathed easier and they hugged each other. He then removed something from his shirt pocket and held it out to her.

"This is the experiment I have been working on," he explained. "This phial contains the memories of your mother." Arwen touched it and smiled softly but when she looked back up at Mothra, her expression was one of remorse. In a way, she could feel the great insect's agony and loss.

"Look," she whispered. They went toward the front of the ship where Erickson glanced up at Mothra's face which seemed to be downcast and melancholy. She noticed him watching her and nodded gratefully. Her actions made him shiver as it all seemed rather mysterious to him.

"She's crying," Arwen whispered, having slipped up beside him. "She is leaving her planet, her home. Perhaps forever. She's leaving her friend."

"Her friend?" her father asked, now even more confused.

"Godzilla."

"I thought Godzilla was her enemy..."

"In these perilous times, no creature of the Earth is an enemy of another," a voice echoed nearby. They both glanced around quickly as the Elias and the Doubijin approached with tears streaking their faces as well. They nodded gratefully at the two humans and smiled.

"We thank you for your bravery," they all said in unison. Erickson held out the Seal of Elias, wondering if they wished to have it back.

"Keep it. It was a gift from Mothra. You will need it in the future," Lora assured him.

"We must depart. In these final moments, let us mourn for the passing of the rest of the human race, and of the Earth itself," whispered Moll as the Elias and Doubijin disappeared. Arwen glanced up at Mothra again and had pity for the goddess. She then had an idea and turned to her father, taking his hands in hers.

"Let me give Mother's memories to Mothra. She needs the memory of the human race to comfort her," she explained. Her father smiled and nodded, finally understanding both his daughter and Mothra. After all his years of study, he had never understood Mothra as well as he did now.

Arwen climbed up to the top of the super structure where Mothra's luminescent body was within reach. She did not worry about being up so high and was in fact, completely fearless. The young woman put her hand on Mothra's side and felt the softness of her fur as she admired the beauty of her many colors.

"I give this to you for saving us," Arwen whispered as she placed the phial with her mother's memories in Mothra's claw. The insect glanced at her with her glistening eyes.

This human was special and she knew it from the start. She and her father are very unique With a renewed and growing confidence, Mothra pressed on, determined to continue her mission.

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"Moll... we have lost everything... We have failed our planet," sobbed Lora as she laid her head against her shoulder. Suddenly, she felt a hand touch hers and turned to see Zirkon's smiling face.

"We haven't lost everything. We still have each other... and Mothra," he whispered with a hint of wisdom in his voice.

"There is always hope. Even now," Moll muttered as they clutched Mothra's fur.

I have failed you, my Earth. Forgive me. Someday I shall return and make peace upon the planet the goddess murmured as she and the Elias left behind the destroyed world. She thought of the memories that the human, Dale Erickson, had managed to instill within her and cast a gentle nod toward what was once her lush, beautiful home.

She then turned her head and slowly flew into the void of space, leaving the Earth behind in the shadow of a whisper that someday, Mothra would return.

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Tuket sat in his command chair aboard the INFERNO and stared emotionlessly at the planet's turmoil unfolding before him. Earth's normally blue and white appearance had morphed into something darker and more frightening.

Black clouds of ash from multiple volcanos spanned areas the size of continents. They continued to erupt, not to mention the super volcanos. Where the black clouds ended, patches of what seemed like blood identified the gigantic swarms of Gyaos that scoured the planet, seeking out and killing everything they could find. The only white that remained were the massive storm clouds forming over the Atlantic and Pacific, pushing aside the ash and Gyaos and ravaging everything they had missed.

Despite the progress made by his species, Tuket just couldn't find an excuse for joy.

"We have just received our last transmission from the reconnaissance vessel in Japan." Tuket swiveled his chair to face the Kilaak that had spoken. "Godzilla was locked in battle with the Gudis creature. His energy levels had risen past our scales of measurement. He will not last much longer."

"And what of the Gudis? I would like to not have to deal with him once we colonize this godforsaken planet."

"We have measured his density and even managed to collect cell samples from the site of one of his previous battles. Our tests show that the explosion will most likely break him down into atoms and nothing more. We will not have to worry about him." Tuket turned this information over in his mind for a moment before looking at the scientist.

"Have the samples destroyed."

"But sir, they could be-"

"Extremely dangerous," the Kilaak commander cut him off. "They cannot harm us but what if they infect any of our other test creatures? What if the virus manages to escape and use them to create a new body and ultimately become even more powerful? I am not going to risk that. Throw them in the fuel pods. Let them fry for a while and see how durable they truly are."

"Yes, sir," the Kilaak said reluctantly, saluting and then leaving the bridge. Tuket turned back towards the wallscreen.

The Gudis had been an asset to the Kilaaks. His incredible power and menacing nature had distracted almost every creature on the planet from their activities, as had the Space Force Directive and their conquest of the United States. He allowed himself a half-smile at the thought.

By focusing their attention on the other alien races, the world had stopped caring about the volcanic eruptions that became increasingly prevalent across the globe. With the various militaries of the humans and aliens attacking one another, they had only been damning themselves.

"Proximity alert!" a crewman shouted, erasing Tuket's smile. "Large unidentified vessel leaving Earth's atmosphere."

"On screen," Tuket ordered. The panoramic image of Earth shifted, then zoomed in on a section of the planet's atmosphere. A gigantic ship was rising from the surface, moving surprisingly quick for a construct its size. Tuket recognized the symbols on the side of the vessel from his childhood study of the other sentient beings in the known universe.

"It is the Simeon mothership," he stated, causing a commotion among his bridge officers.

"Permission to engage?" an eager lieutenant asked. Tuket was silent. A chill ran down his back, causing his eyes to momentarily turn into silvery pools.

"Pan the image back out," he ordered. Confused, the lieutenant obeyed. The screen soon showed the Earth below. Tuket saw Gamera hovering in space over the South American continent. The monster seemed to be weeping for the planet he had failed to defend but it was not the Atlantean guardian that drew the Kilaak leader's attention.

From the north, a broken King Ghidorah slowly stumbled through space. The great dragon was decimated, his body almost completely destroyed. It was a sight that struck Tuket with awe and sorrow. He felt responsible for the damage done to the mighty being. He realized that Ghidorah must have followed Godzilla's scent when he lost track of his ship, unable to comprehend why the only being in existence that he had sworn to never harm was running away from him.

As Tuket watched, Ghidorah approached Gamera and he felt frightened. He knew that Ghidorah could not fight in his present condition. But as Gamera turned to stare at the creature, Ghidorah suddenly disappeared into space. Tuket hung his head.

"Father, forgive me," he whispered.

A brilliant glow emanated from the general direction of Japan. As the effects of a tremendous explosion spread across the Earth's surface, wiping out everything in its path, the Simeon ship began picking up speed as it headed deeper into space.

"Sir, permission to engage the Simeon craft?" the Lieutenant asked again. Tuket looked at the young Kilaak.

"What is their heading?" After a moment of typing in commands furiously, he had the trajectory.

"Mars. We should knock them out of the sky before they get away!" Tuket looked down at the burning planet. He knew what it was like to be driven from his homeworld, to watch it be destroyed mercilessly by an unstoppable force. He shook his head as he tried to get rid of the memories.

"Permission denied, Lieutenant. They have had enough of a bad day."

"Yes, sir," the officer replied, disappointed. He returned to his routine checks and scans as Tuket watched with mild fascination as the Earth was destroyed. The planet was theirs, that much he knew. But somehow, it didn't seem worth it.

After all the death and destruction brought to the Kilaak people, this victory seemed to pale in comparison. Karkaru came to mind. The ambitious king had been a great figurehead for the Kilaaks but ultimately, his fanatical ideals of victory had gotten the better of him. The whole plan had gone to hell the moment Ghidorah was brought back to life. Tuket had at first been an avid supporter of bringing the great beast back, even better than before but now, he wished that his true King had been left to rest in peace.

Tuket deeply regretted the monster's death during the first invasion attempt and seeing what Godzilla had done to him ached his soul. But whatever the case may be, he was sure of one thing: His mission had been completed.

It was only a matter of time before this solar system was wiped clean of the biological filth that still plagued it. Earth would become the new base of operations for the Iron Empire. The unusual number of planets in this star system would provide great quantities of natural resources to construct new ships and help expand the Imperial hold on the universe, just like all the countless others that had fallen before it.

Tuket sighed, wishing that his father, the main reason the Empire had been able to rise to power, had never become the Destroyer of Worlds he now and forever would be.

_Death and Birth_

The Emperor shifted position on his throne. A massive silver-clawed finger pointed at the creature that knelt before him. "Speak," he said simply. The entity remained kneeling, not daring to gaze directly into the Emperor's dagger-like eyes.

"My task has been accomplished. The organic cells and the crystalline being are ready to be combined." The Emperor's face might as well have been carved from stone for all the glee it showed. He seemed to mull this over for a moment before responding.

"So what are you waiting for?"

"I was hoping... that you would do the honors, sir." The Emperor rose from his seat and began to walk to the massive viewport at the end of his personal chamber which displayed the gigantic red-giant star that the Empire Ship had been meandering around - and through - for several years.

Not too far from their position, the planet which had once contained the disturbing, warring beasts had been demolished. The Empire did not bother to try and eliminate the creatures beforehand. They simply died when the very ground under their feet broke apart. The planet's core had become too cool to be of any use to the Imperials. However, the shattered world, along with its two moons, proved to be a great mine for natural resources and a construction yard had been established among the debris. Most of its structures and equipment had recently been removed and stored in the Empire Ship itself. Only one solitary sphere remained now. Inside it were the components that the Emperor knew would make up the greatest war machine the universe would ever know.

"Do it," he said.

"Yes, sir!" the Imperial proclaimed enthusiastically and disappeared into the magnetic elevator as the Emperor continued to stare into space.

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Billions of Imperials were gathered at the viewports below decks to observe what was about to happen in the depths of space. Most of them had already seen a star die but never this close up and they knew, in the pit of their souls, that there was something special about this one.

"Activate the Star Hammer," the Emperor ordered through his communications system to the war room several miles below his position.

"Star Hammer activated, sir," replied the General of the Imperial Fleet. His eyes flashed in the equivalent of a smile. "See you on the other side."

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Outside the gigantic ship, a long pole extended out into space from its top. This electrode charged with energy from the vessel itself and at its tip, a brilliant white light formed. Another pole on the opposite side did likewise, creating two new stars in space. The energy continued to collect as the ship began to spin the poles around slowly. A vortex of light began to form, consuming the entire structure. It became a brilliant powerhouse of pure plasma energy. Suddenly, with speed that would be labeled physically impossible by most biologically-trained scientists, it shot straight through the center of the star. When it came out the other side, it trailed a snake-like tornado of fiery energy behind it which was suddenly shoved back into the star.

The energy levels being poured into the titan were so great that it literally could not handle it. The star flashed, creating a light so great that it could be seen from Earth before it collapsed in on itself. Anyone looking up from one of the remaining planets in the solar system would have seen something they would never want to witness again, nor would they.

The sun in their sky vanished and was replaced with the most destructive force in the entire universe: A black hole. The anomaly in time and space began to absorb everything in the solar system. Nothing could escape its deadly wrath as light, energy and matter were all consumed. The churning vortex sucked in whatever was close enough to be affected by it, and then some.

One such object was the tiny Imperial sphere that contained a crystalline being and the biological cells from the Earth monster, Godzilla, along with several Imperial scientists left behind to oversee the creature. It disappeared into the black hole, compacted and strung out into an area that would make a dime look like a planet. All of the remaining energy from the red giant star went with it, combining with the G-cells and the crystalline being. The cocktail of energy and matter was transferred into another dimension, one even the Empire had never dared venture to. And then, it was over. The black hole remained, like a hungry predator in space but for now, it had absorbed everything within its field of influence.

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The Empire Ship had been pulling away from the solar system, increasing the magnification on its viewscreens so that it did not appear to be moving at all. A vast chorus of hearty approval came from its citizens. In his personal chamber, the Emperor was not as enthusiastic.

With his eyes flashing, he almost whispered, "Activate the Anvil."

"Yes, sir," came the reply from the General who then relayed the command to the appropriate technicians he supervised. The poles, looking much like prehistoric spears, created two massive beams of pure plasma energy. These were shot into the black hole, creating a constant stream for the monster to feed on. Too much energy, in fact.

As the incredible mass of the black hole increased, its throat into the parallel universe, or event horizon, could no longer contain it. Pressure relief conduits began to form, invisible lines of energy running from its center. One suddenly opened near the Empire ship, creating a white hole. It violently ejected nearly all the matter the black hole had received during its creation and disappeared. The ship ceased feeding the black hole but it would go on to consume the rest of its solar system. The Empire could care less as the entire race focused its attention on the point in space where the white hole had appeared.

Had this event been a natural occurrence, the matter that had been expelled would be forever lost in space, stripped to its bare atoms and made useless. However, the crystalline being that had been absorbed by the black hole had originally come from this parallel universe, accidentally caught in the violent expulsion of another, much larger white hole.

The unnatural creature had nearly died until the Imperials captured it, replicating as best they could the environment they assumed it came from. It survived but its condition continued to deteriorate until it was given self-replicating biological cells from the Earth monster, Godzilla. Combined with the essence of this beast, the crystalline creature was able to adapt itself to the universe as we know it. Then, only one more step remained: To give it so much energy that the biological, thus controllable, side of it would take over.

The death of the red giant had been sufficient for that purpose. The matter clustered together and began to form a distinct shape. The massive being absorbed the remaining energy and glowed dark blue, almost purple. The Emperor sat deathly still on his throne. He had been waiting for this moment since he had come across the crystalline being.

"Are the control systems online?" he asked curtly, his eyes never leaving the glowing object out in space.

"Yes, sir," the General replied after several moments of stunned silence.

"Re-check them. Then, check them again and again. I do not want any mistakes this time, understand? If this new beast so much as twitches without us telling it to, I want the entire project scrapped and re-started from the beginning... And you will be... replaced as necessary."

"But, sir... We have worked -" The Imperial halted in mid-sentence. To question the Emperor was to volunteer to become one with the dead. "Yes, sir," he finished.

The Emperor clicked his metallic claws in what might have been a brief show of anticipation. The abomination that hung motionless in space had black skin which was contrasted by the massive bone-white crystals that jutted from its shoulders and back. As the Emperor watched, its crocodilian head rose up. Time seemed to freeze as two fiery red eyes opened for the first time but died as quickly as it was born. Its eyes were animated, yet completely soulless. The monster's movements were mechanical and methodic. The controls were working smoothly.

"Perfect." The Emperor opened his jaws and let out a brief approving laugh. For the first time in what seemed like millennia, he was proud of his subjects. They had worked long and hard since the dawn of time to turn their nomadic kingdom into an empire that nobody would dare to forget. Their first attempt had ultimately failed but now, the Empire had a new sword.

The loss of King Ghidorah still, after all these millions of years, weighed heavy on the Emperor's mind but his new war horse would surpass the three-headed destroyer. And, if necessary, kill him should he rear his rebellious heads once again.

But it wasn't the time to think of such things. It was a time to celebrate. Nothing could stop the Iron Empire now.

_EPILOGUE_

Aboard the Simeon mothership, the United World Powers leaders stood together, watching the monitors on the command bridge as the effects of Godzilla's incredible explosion encircled the globe.

The rulers and leaders of once-great nations who would not usually display such emotions fought back tears as they hung their heads in silence to mourn the loss of friends, family and allies in the titanic battle that had been fought. Their homeworld, their way of life, their civilizations and the rich histories behind them were all being wiped out on the screen before them.

But despite their sorrow, they knew that hope had not been lost in the fiery maelstrom thousands of miles below. As long as they lived and even if but a fraction of the survivors remained, there would be hope. The various races and peoples, both Earth-born and extraterrestrial, coming together as one despite their differences or former grudges with one another, shared the will to live and fight on, no matter what the odds or the cost in an ultimate test of unity.

This was not the end at all, but instead, it was a new beginning.

THE END


	21. Alternate Ending

Tuket sat in his command chair aboard the INFERNO and stared emotionlessly at the planet's turmoil unfolding before him. Earth's normally blue and white appearance had morphed into something darker and more frightening.

Black clouds of ash from multiple volcanos spanned areas the size of continents. They continued to erupt, not to mention the super volcanos. Where the black clouds ended, patches of what seemed like blood identified the gigantic swarms of Gyaos that scoured the planet, seeking out and killing everything they could find. The only white that remained were the massive storm clouds forming over the Atlantic and Pacific, pushing aside the ash and Gyaos and ravaging everything they had missed.

Despite the progress made by his species, Tuket just couldn't find an excuse for joy.

"We have just received our last transmission from the reconnaissance vessel in Japan." Tuket swiveled his chair to face the Kilaak that had spoken. "Godzilla has almost reached Japan. His energy levels have risen past our scales of measurement. He will not last much longer."

"And the other races that have gathered on Earth?"

"Dead or in retreat, sir."

"What of the Gudis?"

"We have been unable to track his present whereabouts but he was last spotted in the Philippines. On an interesting side note, we have managed to collect cell samples from the site of one of his previous battles." Tuket turned this information over in his mind for a moment before looking at the scientist.

"Have the samples destroyed."

"But sir, they could be-"

"Extremely dangerous," the Kilaak commander cut him off. "They cannot harm us but what if they infect any of our other test creatures? What if the virus manages to escape and use them to create a new body and ultimately become even more powerful? I am not going to risk that. Throw them in the fuel pods. Let them fry for a while and see how durable they truly are."

"Yes, sir," the Kilaak said reluctantly, saluting and then leaving the bridge. Tuket turned back towards the wallscreen.

The Gudis had been an asset to the Kilaaks. His incredible power and menacing nature had distracted almost every creature on the planet from their activities, as had the Space Force Directive and their conquest of the United States. He allowed himself a half-smile at the thought.

While combating the Kilaak armies as well as focusing its attention on the other alien races, the world had stopped caring about the volcanic eruptions that became increasingly prevalent across the globe. With the various militaries of the humans and aliens attacking one another, they had only been damning themselves.

"Proximity alert!" a crewman shouted, erasing Tuket's smile. "Large unidentified vessel leaving Earth's atmosphere."

"On screen," Tuket ordered. The panoramic image of Earth shifted, then zoomed in on a section of the planet's atmosphere. A gigantic ship was rising from the surface, moving surprisingly quick for a construct its size. Tuket recognized the symbols on the side of the vessel from his childhood study of the other sentient beings in the known universe.

"It is the Simeon mothership," he stated, causing a commotion among his bridge officers.

"Permission to engage?" an eager lieutenant asked. Tuket was silent. A chill ran down his back, causing his eyes to momentarily turn into silvery pools.

"Pan the image back out," he ordered. Confused, the lieutenant obeyed. The screen soon showed the Earth below. Tuket saw Gamera hovering in space over the South American continent. The monster seemed to be weeping for the planet he had failed to defend but it was not the Atlantean guardian that drew the Kilaak leader's attention.

From the north, a broken King Ghidorah slowly stumbled through space. The great dragon was decimated, his body almost completely destroyed. It was a sight that struck Tuket with awe and sorrow. He felt responsible for the damage done to the mighty being. He realized that Ghidorah must have followed Godzilla's scent when he lost track of his ship, unable to comprehend why the only being in existence that he had sworn to never harm was running away from him.

As Tuket watched, Ghidorah approached Gamera and he felt frightened. He knew that Ghidorah could not fight in his present condition. But as Gamera turned to stare at the creature, Ghidorah suddenly disappeared into space. Tuket hung his head.

"Father, forgive me," he whispered.

"Sir, permission to engage the Simeon craft?" the Lieutenant asked again. Tuket looked at the young Kilaak.

"What is their heading?" After a moment of typing in commands furiously, he had the trajectory.

"Mars. We should knock them out of the sky before they get away!" Tuket looked down at the burning planet. He knew what it was like to be driven from his homeworld, to watch it be destroyed mercilessly by an unstoppable force. He shook his head as he tried to get rid of the memories.

"Permission denied, Lieutenant. They have had enough of a bad day."

"Yes, sir," the officer replied, disappointed. He returned to his routine checks and scans as Tuket watched with mild fascination as the Earth was destroyed. The planet was theirs, that much he knew. But somehow, it didn't seem worth it.

After all the death and destruction brought to the Kilaak people, this victory seemed to pale in comparison. Karkaru came to mind. The ambitious king had been a great figurehead for the Kilaaks but ultimately, his fanatical ideals of victory had gotten the better of him. The whole plan had gone to hell the moment Ghidorah was brought back to life. Tuket had at first been an avid supporter of bringing the great beast back, even better than before but now, he wished that his true King had been left to rest in peace.

Tuket deeply regretted the monster's death during the first invasion attempt and seeing what Godzilla had done to him ached his soul. But whatever the case may be, he was sure of one thing: His mission had been completed.

It was only a matter of time before this solar system was wiped clean of the biological filth that still plagued it. Earth would become the new base of operations for the Iron Empire. The unusual number of planets in this star system would provide great quantities of natural resources to construct new ships and help expand the Imperial hold on the universe, just like all the countless others that had fallen before it.

Tuket sighed, wishing that his father, the main reason the Empire had been able to rise to power, had never become the Destroyer of Worlds he now and forever would be.

_The Wisdom of Mothra_

In Pusan, South Korea, Professor Dale Erickson slowly opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of the fiery glimmer of what remained of the city. He rolled over to check on his daughter who slept so peacefully while massive fires raged not very far away.

Just as in Wakkanai, death loomed in the air. It seemed to envelope the helicopter when they landed. At least a thousand people had gathered here, praying and hoping for the salvation of their world. Despite the massive riots and confusion that were taking place in so many other places, there seemed to be an absence of violence and terror at this remote location. Children could be seen cradled in their mother's arms in an effort to ward off the bleakness of the night that washed over everyone, causing the youngest to become even more fearful.

The professor was perplexed. How could they hope to contain the mobs of rioting people that he had seen in the city itself as he flew over it? Voices whispered in his head, which seemed to blank out all other sound. He could also hear a mysterious yet enchanting melody that echoed on the wind blowing in from the sea. He turned around and spotted the two tiny steeds with the Elias and the Doubijin flying down from the sky. A smile spread across Erickson's face as he bowed his head respectfully.

"Do not fear. We bring you a token of our hope for the Earth," said Moll. The wise priestess reached under her cape and held a tiny shield in her hand. The metallic substance it was made of glowed like star light as dusk was falling.

"Take it," smiled Lora. He slowly accepted the offering and gently held it in the palm of his hand, awed by its beauty. Although it was quite small, it held a mystic energy he had never even imagined before.

"We give you the Seal of Elias, made by our forebears. It has the ability to harness universal energy. In fact, it was used to lock away the demonic Death Ghidorah. Take it and use it as a symbol of hope for humanity. It will provide wisdom, courage and love for you in times when you especially need it. Be safe and remain true to the Earth and your people," Moll said before the Elias and Doubijin faded from sight.

Professor Erickson smiled and tears came to his eyes as he listened to the Elias' voices echoing off into nothingness. He looked down at the luminescent Seal that rested as warmly in his hand as a hen sitting on her baby chicks.

The power of the mind is unlimited. It can reach where arms can not, through any barrier and even through the hearts of men and women. Use your heart and mind. Only then can you use the Seal of Elias successfully. You have the ability. The seed of courage, wisdom and love in you has to germinate. Only then can it grow and be used for good. Restore the hope within the people you want to rescue the voice of Mothra resonated in his mind.

Remembering Moll's words, he summoned the courage to fulfill his mission. Erickson grasped the Seal of Elias as he held it by the tiny chain connected to the back. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, concentrating his attention and hoping that he could do what the Elias and Mothra asked of him. After a while, there appeared to be little chance of success until he glanced at his daughter, Arwen, now standing beside him.

"You can do it, daddy," she whispered as she grasped his hand tightly. Again, tears began to gather in his eyes. He could feel the power of her love comforting his heart like a soft, gentle wave rushing up on the sands of a distant shore. He held the Seal high and it began to shine with a phosphorescence that attracted other refugees' attention.

"We are not defeated yet. We must save ourselves and Mothra can help us do that. Now, our faith lies in her hands. The end is near so join me in Earth's final hour, fellow men and women!" he said confidently.

As everyone gathered around and Erickson continued to speak to them, Arwen gazed at him with a gentle smile on her beautiful face. She was very proud of her father's courage. He truly had the same means that Mothra did to save humanity and even the Earth, if possible.

"Can we truly rely on Mothra? After all this terrible destruction?" a man shouted from the crowd.

"Has Mothra ever let the world and its people down? No! She has protected this planet for millions of years and still risks her life for us even now. We must have faith in her. She will come," Erickson assured them.

With his words of hope, Mothra could telepathically sense their decision and breathed easier.

xxxxxxxx

The AZAG-THOTH and its accompanying ships were leaving Earth's orbit when a proximity alert went off and the craft flying alongside the Viran flagship exploded in a shower of flame, smoke and debris.

"What has happened?" Mordant Zerrulus exclaimed with surprise.

"The Xian mothership! It is heading directly toward us!" Elarkus called out from his control console.

"Ken'trus..." C'seris hissed. One by one, the Viran ships were getting picked off. Although the Xians had lost their fleet in the battle with Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus, the massive mothership and its armaments was more than capable of taking on the entire Viran Earth contingent if called upon.

"Order all ships to return fire and increase speed at once!" ordered the Captain. The Xian ship's force field nullified their efforts and the fleeing armada continued to dwindle in numbers. "It is destroying every ship around us but has not fired at the AZAG-THOTH. Why is that?"

"Ken'trus is saving us for last. He always was arrogant and brazen... and a fool. Iodrakas. Prepare the super virus."

Aboard the Xian ship, the Controller sat back in his command chair with his hands clasped together, grinning confidently as he watched the destruction of his one-time 'allies' unfold on the main viewscreen.

"Controller, we have the flagship in our sights. We can destroy it at any time."

"Not yet. Take out every other Viran craft first and then hail C'seris." Soon, only the AZAG-THOTH remained and a communication signal sounded on the bridge.

"We are being hailed, Master."

"Open the channel." The main viewscreen switched over to reveal Ken'trus staring at them.

"Here to gloat, I take it?" C'seris observed with a cocked eye.

"But of course."

"I am not interested in wasting words with you, Ken'trus."

"Consider yourselves fortunate that I have allowed you to live a few moments longer than you otherwise would have. I did not extend such a courtesy to the Mysterians when I wiped them out."

"And I thought you and Koban had developed a rather nice accord... Perhaps you did him a favor by not agonizing him with a pretentious speech like you apparently are going to give to me."

"Accord? Surely you jest, Viran! This alliance was a sham and always was. I intended to destroy you both from the beginning. I simply used you all, nothing more. Your races are, were and always will be vastly inferior and pathetic, as I have sufficiently proven. I wanted you to know that before you die."

"Then please do not allow me to detain your superior magnificence any longer."

"Goodbye, C'seris."

"Goodbye indeed, Ken'trus."

"Controller! We have a malfunction," a technician to his left suddenly exclaimed. "A virus has been detected in the main computer!"

"What? That is impossible! Our computers can not be affected by viruses. Their defenses both without and within are iron-clad and impregnable."

"The virus is spreading quickly, sir!"

"Quarantine and delete the infection!"

"Trying, sir, but it is not working." The panicked crew member's hands flew furiously over his control panel. Then Ken'trus looked back at C'seris over the still-open communication frequency. Although his Viran beak was incapable of forming anything resembling a smile, the Controller could see the confidence in his eyes.

"What have you done?" he screamed.

"Given you a parting gift, of course." C'seris tilted his head and lifted his tentacles from his sides.

"How did you do this?" Ken'trus had now lost all of his arrogant self-assurance.

"It was not easy. Your anti-virus measures were indeed formidable but not infallible. Being life forms dependent on machinery, I would expect no less. Extensive study and analysis of Xian hardware and software was required but obviously worth it in the end."

"Treacherous cephalopod!"

"What did you expect? We certainly could not fight you directly so alternative methods were called for."

"How long have you been planning this?"

"Since the day the Space Force Directive was formed. The best part is that you practically let this happen. We could never have gotten the virus past your defenses so we had to alter it for travel along a different path, such as a communication frequency. YOU hailed us."

"Destroy them NOW! I want to see cooking, screaming calamari in front of me!" Ken'trus ordered at the top of his voice and absolutely furious.

"Can not comply, sir! The virus has knocked our weapons and almost all other major systems off line."

"It amuses me that you are actually surprised by this development. We also knew from the start that this alliance was faulty and were practically waiting for either you or Koban to double-cross us. A similar virus was ready for use on the Mysterians but you took care of that problem for us. Thank you for that."

For the first time in a long while, Ken'trus was speechless but his gaze spoke volumes. He wanted to reach through the viewscreen and strangle C'seris with his own tentacles.

xxxxxxxx

Isolated from the rest of the ship, Ic'den was sealed away in his chamber, meditating in a sound-proof room when the door suddenly opened, revealing the calamity going on outside as Rentis stepped through.

"What is going on?" Ic'den asked in confusion, having just been jarred out of his psychic trance.

"We must get you out of here. Now!"

"What? Rentis. Tell me what is happening!" he demanded, standing up quickly.

"We are dead, Ic'den. Finished! A virus created by the Virans has infected our main frame that will destroy us all. I must get you to safety!"

"But what of my father?"

"There is no time!"

"But, Rentis..." the confused young Xian was at a loss as to what was happening or what would.

"Your father started all of this! It was his actions that led us down this path and to our own ruin!"

"You would have me abandon my father and my people?"

"With the destruction of the fleet, the only ship that remains is the escape pod reserved for the Controller. It is nearby and you must take it. Now!"

"Then it is my father who should use it, not I."

"Your father is too busy bickering on the bridge with C'seris to even realize that he is staring oblivion in the face. Now come with me!"

"No!"

"Do you realize that we are all going to die?" Rentis pleaded.

"Then I will die with the rest of you!"

"This is no time for stubborn pride! Someone has to survive so that all of this need not be in vain. Despite being a kaiser, despite being Ken'trus' son, I know that your ideals do not follow war, death or conquest. You, as Ken'trus' successor, must return to Planet X and foster those beliefs to save our civilization."

"How do I know they will follow me? The history of our race is defined by conquest," the young alien reminded his overseer.

"A race is not always dictated by blood or circuitry. Sometimes it is something more; something stronger, deeper, immaterial. My mother taught me that..." the half-human tried to explain.

"What you suggest goes against everything it is to be a Xian..."

"Did that stop my mother?" he asked with an uncharacteristic smile for their race. "The time has come for change and you, Ic'den, must take the first step." The realization of what Rentis was trying to say finally struck home. "Go now. Quickly!"

"Thank you, Rentis... and goodbye," Ic'den said forlornly as he turned and made a mad dash for the escape pod.

Just then, a tone resonated throughout the Xian mothership. Its frequency was similar to that used by the humans back in 1965 against the first Xian invasion garrison but this one was far more advanced and deadly. The Xians' skulls literally began to explode as the virus forced the main reactor into a feedback loop that would destroy the ship itself.

"Farewell, Controller," C'seris spoke in a mocking tone as he cut off the transmission. "Now get us out of here," he ordered his crew.

The AZAG-THOTH sped away as the Xian craft began to collapse in on itself. As it came apart around him, Ken'trus screamed defiantly in a rage, shaking his fists in the air. A few moments later, an incredible explosion high above the Earth ended the Xian presence but a split second before, Ic'den's escape pod jetted away as fast as the ship's engines were capable of propelling it.

He had indeed escaped and survived. Now he faced an uncertain future, one he began to ponder as he flew through the dark depths of space.

_Last Stand_

In Tokyo Bay, the ocean began to churn and boil as the out-of-control heat and radioactivity in its depths announced Godzilla's arrival before his massive frame even broke the water's surface. When he raised his head up to let out his trademark roar, it quickly gave way to agonized shrieks and wheezes as the burning pain he felt within him continued to intensify.

He had barely made it ashore when a sudden underground explosion tripped him, causing him to briefly stagger backward. Rising from the pit created by the blast was Gigan but the cyborg had been modified.

A new visor, special armor plating on the torso and legs; a giant pincher on its right hand and twin Gatling guns on its left now augmented its arsenal. Before Godzilla could fully register what was happening, a pair of blue beams shot from the now two-eyed visor, striking him squarely in the chest. His body began to literally freeze.

Confused and angry, Godzilla expelled his supercharged breath into the Nebulan construct. The beam began to push Gigan back but didn't appear to be doing any damage as most of it was deflected off its armor. It seemed to break apart and arc off in different directions as the freeze masers continued to consume Godzilla's body. Inside the cockpit that had been installed in Gigan's head, Chairman Fumio Subo beamed with satisfaction.

"It looks like the synthetic diamond coating is working nicely. The freeze masers are continuing to envelop Godzilla and his body temperature is beginning to drop," Kubota reported.

"Excellent." Everything was going according to plan. Right after he had succeeded in splitting up the UWP, he received word that their former base was being monitored by the Kilaaks. An inevitable conflict would result which the Nebulans could not hope to win. He then put an entirely new plan into motion.

When he had asked Kubota to see him in private, he sent his instructions to his PDA. Their 'deaths' had been faked with Nebulan decoys wearing skins identical to their own being killed. The attempt to take Seatopia was never anything more than an experiment.

Had it worked, Megalon would have been added to the Nebulan's offensive inventory alongside Gigan, Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus. Control of them would have been secured through holding the various UWP leaders hostage to ensure the loyalty and cooperation of the Seatopians and the Simeons but that did not come to pass.

The Kilaaks had forced his hand, essentially ruining his plans and forcing him to come up with a new one. When Fumio had set up this operation, it had dealt with taking the Earth without outside interference. The various other races that had come to Earth and the Kilaaks' betrayal changed all that.

However, a Kilaak informant loyal to Fumio told him of Karkaru's plans to destroy the Nebulans. Thus came about the fictional tale Fumio told Kubota about a new freeze weapon that could be used against the Kilaaks.

This resulted in the Kilaaks destroying their base. With everyone assuming they were all dead, Fumio, Kubota and a small band of Nebulans had departed via an underground tunnel in a shuttle specially designed to be invisible to scanning or detection devices whether earthly or alien.

They went to a secondary underground installation near Tokyo using the same shielding technology. There, they would be free to formulate a new strategy which had been to wait the conflict out while the various races and monsters destroyed one another.

After this, the Nebulans would radio their homeworld for reinforcements, wipe out what little remained of whomever was left and finally claim the Earth for themselves. As Fumio predicted, that was exactly what happened. The Space Force Directive imploded, the Kilaaks were destroyed by Godzilla, the United World Powers forces had been wiped out, the world's governments and military were in disarray and any monster that dared to stand in Godzilla's path between Delaware and Tokyo had been defeated, leaving only Gudis unaccounted for.

But then Fumio sat back and watched the planet itself slowly begin to die, its very ecosystem being damaged beyond repair by both the Kilaaks' activities, the Ghidorahs and the final death knell, Godzilla himself. As a result of the volcano ray he had been struck with, a devastating explosion was going to result that would blast the surface of the Earth clean of all life and leave it in ruins, making it unlivable for the Nebulans now and forevermore. It was a harsh truth to accept but one they had to come to grips with. Even out of this defeat was a new chance for victory and hope as Fumio came up with a new brainstorm - capture Godzilla.

The Monster King's breath was starting to waver as the freeze beams overtook him, slowing his movements and cooling the raging internal fire. Though he was angry to once again be a target of alien attack, there was a small part of him that welcomed the relief the cold granted his burning body.

The weapons being used by the Nebulans were a variation of the GOTENGO's. Components had been taken by Kubota and other covert Nebulan operatives to modify Gigan's eye beams. These were far more powerful and capable of freezing anything to almost absolute zero. Finally, Godzilla's barrage ceased and the kaiju let out one last cry of anger before seemingly freezing solid.

It was then that the remainder of the Nebulan invasion force hovered down into position behind Gigan. They had escaped their base with the Chairman and made sure to stay out of harm's way while Godzilla had been engaged.

"Status, Kubota?"

"Internal organs have shut down. Blood flow has ceased. Biological activity at zero."

"Very good. Disengage the freeze masers and deploy the stasis ray," Fumio ordered. The weapons were shut down and Gigan's tail swung around, pointing an odd contraption on the end of it toward Godzilla that emitted a series of circular energy waves until a bubble appeared around him.

The Nebulans had salvaged technology from a Xian saucer that dated back to 1965, installing its transport bubble device into Gigan's tail. Fumio operated the navigational controls as Gigan lifted up off the ground and hovered over Godzilla. A tractor beam from his tail engaged this precious and dangerous cargo. The cyborg ascended into the sky with the kaiju in tow. The small group Nebulan ships followed in short order.

Fumio's new plan was simple: He would take Godzilla back to the Nebulan homeworld, use their advanced technology to permanently regulate his unstable radioactivity to avoid destruction and then implant devices in his brain to bring the kaiju king under their control.

The Earth was a lost cause but with this new super-powered beast in their thrall, the Nebulans could now conquer planets they would have never dared attempt before. Victory was as good as theirs. Of course, it would take some doing on Fumio's part to convince the Revered but he knew he would succeed. He always did.

"Chairman! Something is wrong!" Kubota blurted out. "Godzilla's body temperature is rising again!"

"What?"

"Climbing quickly! It's exceeding its previous levels. His body is starting to thaw!" Suddenly, Godzilla loosed an incredible nuclear pulse that shattered the stasis bubble, resulting in an explosion so great that it knocked Gigan out of the sky and took out half the ships that were in close proximity. Both kaiju fell back to the Earth below, right into the heart of the once-proud but now decimated city of Tokyo.

Fumio managed to regain control before they crashed and Gigan came down slowly where Godzilla had landed. With a mighty roar, the kaiju king rose up, limbering himself and shaking all over as his once-again burning body freed his frozen extremities from their cold-induced stiffness. Fumio and Kubota looked on in disbelief as with an angry growl, the living, breathing nuclear inferno began to stride toward them. Godzilla would have vengeance on the creature that had killed the only true friend and ally he ever had.

"The freeze masers again. Quickly!" Fumio ordered frantically. As Godzilla drew closer, Gigan fired both the freeze masers and his twin Gatling guns' armor piercing rounds but they didn't slow the beast down in the slightest. The remaining Nebulan ships added their own firepower to the mix but it was all for naught as Godzilla destroyed the annoying craft with one pass of his breath ray.

"It's not working!" Kubota bawled. Just as Godzilla came within arm's reach, Fumio sent Gigan's right arm pincher up, clamping it around the monster's neck. The monster king reached up and easily pulled the claw away as he overpowered its hydraulics before ripping the appendage in half. The left arm gun turrets slammed upside his head but only staggered him briefly. Godzilla wrapped his arms around Gigan and began to crush its insides.

In the cockpit, damage and compression warnings began to blare as Kubota desperately activated the chest saw while Fumio tried lifting off into the air. The implant revved to life but Godzilla's hide had become so tough that the blades instantly dulled, broke and shattered to pieces. As Gigan rose into the air, the intense heat and radioactivity coming off Godzilla began to short circuit various systems.

His flight stabilizers failed as the synthetic diamond armor began to melt. When he crashed back down, Godzilla went back to crushing his enemy. Fumio was left with no other option but escape.

Gigan's head suddenly disconnected from the rest of the body and jetted off into the sky. Godzilla threw the remains of the machine aside and lifted his head toward the fleeing module. A blast of supercharged radioactive fire shot forth from his jaws. The two terrified Nebulans watched the flowing firestorm gaining them, their escape craft already flying at maximum speed. Only a split second before the beam devoured them did they realize that they were going to die. In that brief moment, time seemed to stop as Fumio finally realized that he had indeed failed.

I failed? But that is impossible. I never fail. I succeed. I always... succeed he thought with a stunned look of disbelief on his face as his existence ended in a fiery explosion.

Godzilla turned his attention to what remained of Gigan and another expulsion of his breath obliterated the cyborg once and for all. He quickly spun around at the sound of clapping behind him. Slowly drifting down for a landing was Gudis.

_Gudis vs Godzilla_

"Who needs RAID when you've got Godzilla? He really kills roaches dead!" Gudis joked. "Ah, the Nebulans... Funny little creatures, they were. Always thought they were hot shit in a champagne glass when they were really just cold diarrhea in a Dixie cup.

"But look at it. Just look at it! The fire and devastation, the stench of burning flesh and wails of the suffering and the dying. Such delicious agony! Such touching and moving despair! Never have I seen anything so lovely. Don't you agree?"

Gudis held his arm out as if inviting him to inspect some prime real estate. Godzilla noticed certain aspects of Gudis' physical body, his nostrils picking up scents that told him Anguirus and King Seesar were standing in front of him, yet they obviously were not.

"What have you done?" he asked in angry confusion, even evident in kaiju-speak.

"What? Oh, the suit. Like it? Looks familiar, don't it? One hundred per cent pure Anguirus hide, accented nicely with Seesar fur," Gudis jibed.

"You will pay for desecrating Anguirus' body!" Godzilla thundered, his anger steadily rising.

"Oh please! He was friggin' dead! It's not like he was using it!" the alien spawn griped in an annoyed manner as Godzilla's eyes narrowed. "I can feel the unstable energies building within you. When you finally die, you will take this entire planet with you. Such destructive power sends chills down my spine. I must admit, I'm quite jealous," he went on.

"Why have you come here?" Godzilla growled, growing tired of Gudis' constant banter.

"I have come to claim that power as my own and I just have to know for myself before you die who is the strongest." Godzilla only gave a low snarl after quickly considering this arrogant statement. "So it comes down to this. You and I, one on one. We shall now see who the TRUE King of All Monsters really is!" Gudis proclaimed as he hit Godzilla with one of his dreaded forearm beams, sending him flying back and plowing into a ruined building which crumbled down on top of him. Godzilla quickly erupted from the rubble without a scratch, looking angrier than ever.

Well, that ain't good... Gudis managed to realize before a breath blast hit him with so much force that it drove him down into and then under the ground. "It's going to take more than -" BLAM! Before he could fully get back up or finish, Godzilla blasted him again, sending him skidding through what little remained of the city.

"Is that all you have got -" BOOM! "Just wait 'til I -" KABLAM! "Will you just let me finish a damn sentence already? I'm -" BABOOM!

"You talk too much. Shut up and fight!" Godzilla growled, hitting the Gudis with yet more beam blasts. The alien virus pulled himself back up with several holes and chunks blown out of his body by the vicious assault but his regeneration quickly healed the damage. He leaped up to avoid yet another blast of radioactivity and landed in front of the Kaiju King, clasping his arms around him to use a German release belly-to-belly suplex.

Godzilla landed on his head hard. As he picked himself back up, the Gudis grabbed him again, this time judo-throwing him into a nearby structure that toppled under the kaiju's great weight. Before Godzilla could dig himself out, Gudis hauled him up into the sky, only to come back down and give his opponent a sit-down pile driver through the top of another building, completely demolishing it as they crashed downward. As Godzilla's head and neck smashed into the foundation, it contorted and bent at an unnatural angle. The recoil from the impact made the saurian's body bounce and flip into the air before coming back down in a heap.

A few seconds later, the mighty saurian was back up, twisting his head and neck to reset and realign the vertebrae within, much to Gudis' shock. The frustrated abomination attacked again and went into a spin to try and land a triple hit combination with a backhand, a tail swing and a roundhouse kick. Godzilla side-stepped the punch, ducked his tail and caught Gudis' ankle in his right claw to throw him through a building.

The Gudis unfolded his wings and veered back around, slamming into him head on. With his feet dug into the crushed concrete beneath him, the Monster King stopped Gudis' forward momentum, picked him up and then smashed him back down with tremendous force. Godzilla reached down, grabbed Gudis' head and jerked him back up before drilling him into the ground face first.

As the battle continued, the landscape around them was quickly transforming into hell on Earth as flames and lava spurts could be seen throughout the ravaged city while the ground shook from swarms of tremors and earthquakes. The two warring titans couldn't care less as they viciously ripped and tore into each other.

Gudis connected with a sideways scissor-kick to the head. Godzilla let the momentum from the attack spin him around so he could bring his massive tail into play. His opponent ducked and popped back up but caught a breath blast to the chest, flying backwards once more. The vile creature dug his arms into the concrete and bedrock to stop his backwards momentum and quickly sent his tentacles forth to wrap around a building on either side of him. He then ripped the structures loose and swung them together, smashing Godzilla as a sandwich between them.

The Monster King shrugged off the assault, only to see the Gudis diving down at him. He side-stepped the attempted strike and swung his tail up into the Gudis' chin, sending him flying head over heels. Using his wings to catch himself, Gudis' tentacles surged out again, this time wrapping around Godzilla who gave a sharp pull on them, jerking the monstrosity towards him to deliver a punch straight into his jaw, ripping it from his face. He then used the appendages to swing the Gudis up over his head and smash him back down into the ground. Still gripping them, he swung his foe around in the air, crashing him head first through several buildings before driving him back into the ground. Gudis fired off one of his forearm beams, severing his own tentacles and pushing Godzilla back to get some distance between them as he waited for his jaw to regenerate.

"Hey, look! I'm a Pez dispenser!" Gudis snickered as he picked one of the felled structures up and hurled it through the air. Godzilla obliterated it before it could ever reach him but it was merely a distraction. The Gudis slammed his right elbow into his jaw, followed by a spinning heel-kick from his left foot and an uppercut kick from his right as Godzilla toppled over.

But as he went down, his tail swung up into the side of Gudis' head. He hit the ground hard as well. The Monster King got back up as Gudis brought out his big guns, hitting him with both arm beams at point-blank range which pushed him back. Godzilla dug his feet in once again and began to slow himself down. Soon, he came to a complete stop and actually started walking towards Gudis with both beams still pushing against him.

Gudis scowled in disbelief as he poured even more power into the effort but Godzilla continued to march forward, undaunted. Soon, he was practically right in front of Gudis who added his eye beams and heat ray to the mix but to no avail.

"This is impossible!" Gudis shrieked a split second before Godzilla grabbed hold of both his wrists and slowly forced them up towards the Gudis' face. The viral abomination tried to resist but Godzilla's strength was too great. His arms were shoved up into his head, resulting in it getting blown completely off by the Gudis' own beams.

Before the alien aberration could regenerate or even fall down, Godzilla grabbed him in a bear hug and let loose a nuclear pulse that seared the hide off the Gudis' body. Letting him drop in a mangled heap to the ground, Godzilla staggered backward, the extent of the damage clear as his torso had been completely melted away by the powerful blast. He fell to one knee and brought his hands up to his chest and belly to prevent his internal organs and intestines from falling out while his now hyperactive regeneration healed the damage. If Godzilla had tried to take that attack a day earlier, it would have killed him.

The Gudis was also regenerating. As he slowly rose, his face sported a sickening smile as it grew back. When both combatants had healed, they stood and stared one another down once again.

"Let's see how you handle this!" Gudis howled with sadistic joy as he fired off his arm beams. This time, the blast was comprised of energy he had absorbed from the breath blasts Godzilla had hit him with, augmented by his own power. As the terrible attack plowed into Godzilla like a freight train, he went flying off into the distance and landed with a thunderous crash.

Before he could get back up, the Gudis was on top of him, reared back with a massive energy ball between his palms which he hurled downward before its target had time to dodge. The explosive force was so great that it drove the saurian deep into the ground. The Gudis followed after him but moments later was sent spiraling back up and out of the hole by a blast from Godzilla who soon lumbered out after him.

As he did so, the Gudis flew over to the felled Park Tower Building, wrenched it up off the ground and swung it around, smashing it into Godzilla like a massive club. The kaiju went rolling. Dropping his makeshift weapon, Gudis attempted to fly straight at him but Godzilla reached behind himself, ripping up another structure he had been backed into and hammered it down on top of the Gudis with incredible force a split second before he reached him.

Suddenly, Mothra swooped down behind Gudis, slamming into him and then pulling back into the sky. Her dive-bombing attack put the demon face first into the smoldering ashes and coals of the Nishi-shinjuku district of Tokyo. Gudis got back up, only to be hit head-on by a blue streak of light, plowing him backwards across the city and smashing into the remains of several partially-standing buildings which fell on top of him.

Mothra flew overhead, circling the area until she could generate an Elias Seal which fell where Gudis lay. For a few brief moments, the decimated battlefield was quiet but both Godzilla and Mothra knew that he would be back up no time.

The moth goddess flew down toward the Monster King and tilted slightly with her wings outstretched to hover beside him. Temporarily, this evil creature had been knocked out by Godzilla's awesome power. Feeling the effects of her own violent attack, Mothra showed sympathy for the great saurian, her eyes glistening as she gazed upon his burning body. It was as though he was in terrible agony from the nuclear fusion that sizzled within him. She couldn't help but notice how his abdomen, legs and chest were an eerie red color and it was frightening to hear the slight grunts as he tried to contain the power building up.

"Godzilla? What has happening to you?" she murmured in kaiju-speak, scanning him as she felt the heat coming from his body. "You are dying, dying because of humanity's arrogance. On numerous encounters I have had with them, I have told them to learn from their mistakes and make themselves better than what they are. They have completely ignored me and now it comes to this, with terrible torment inflicted upon a creature they created from their own weapons and technology.

"This is what will bring an end to the planet, humanity's ignorance. I have been protecting the Earth's destroyers!" Mothra cast another glance upon Godzilla. Her findings were overwhelming and her heart seemed to tighten in a knot as she tried to keep her great sadness at bay. Godzilla stood in silence as the great moth gathered her thoughts. Only the sound of her beating wings and the hissing of the steam pouring out of his body could be heard. He looked out over the burning city as plumes of fire spat into the air and ever-increasing seismic shocks brought down whatever unstable buildings remained.

"I... I am dying..." Godzilla muttered, gasping for air. "Mothra, you must leave now. Once I die, this whole area, and perhaps the entire world, will be destroyed, meaning you with it! All I wanted was to return home... " He lowered his head toward the ground. "But they would not allow it. They kept fighting me, keeping me from my homeland, from my only source of food which they cursed upon me.

"They try to kill me - the monsters, the people, the invaders. They want me dead. Why can't they accept the judgment I deliver upon them?" Godzilla's emotions ran high with the combined pain of his burning body and the fiery rage he felt rekindling inside him. In a burst of anger, he reared back and roared defiantly into the air at anyone that could hear him.

"I hate them so much! I hate it all! And I hate you!" Godzilla bellowed and snapped his head in Mothra's direction. "You were always fighting against me! You were always fighting for them! Are you that blind?" His confession abruptly ended in a squeal of pain as a surge of burning energy charged within his tortured body.

"All I want is to die!" Mothra's emotions were almost to the breaking point also. Everything she had stood for and her entire reason for being was being challenged. Her face reflected her own agony and torment.

What was she to do? Mothra knew that Godzilla was in a terrible rage and glaring at her with hate in his eyes.

"Maybe I was blind but you could also consider yourself blind for your hate toward them and myself. You do not see the purity in them as I do. You want to judge the humans and punish them. What right do you have to punish your creators?

"I protected them because I saw a hope in their hearts. Humanity is not always bad. Yes, they have made mistakes but nobody is perfect - not humans, not even you or myself. Was it wrong for me to protect the Earth and its contents? You obviously have forgotten that we were allies once - more than once. Why do you target your anger at me when you used to protect the world as well as your home? Do not wish yourself to die. All life has been put on this planet for a reason, even you." Mothra murmured as she flew down closer to him.

"I only fought beside your sibling and even then, it was against mutual enemies! I never protected humans. I protected myself, my son and my home, not humans!" Godzilla roared in kaiju-speak. Mothra feared his rage as a small child might quiver before an adult.

"Without humans, you would not even exist!" Mothra retorted as her confidence as the guardian of the planet returned.

"You are right but I am a living creature on this Earth and I have the right to protect my home!"

"Then save the Earth! Save your home!" Mothra cried. "I am saving mankind!" And with that, the mighty moth began to fly toward the buried Gudis. "I am not leaving you. We must defeat this demon together. There is the possibility that I may heal you," she explained.

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High above, the Elias' eyes filled with tears as they listened to the two great kaiju and had an idea of the pain they were going through.

"You will be killed!" Godzilla snarled.

"And so I shall," Mothra replied. She felt a blast of heat approaching from behind and immediately swooped to her right, barely dodging a spray of atomic fire. Mothra turned back to Godzilla in surprise.

"You stupid bug! If life is so precious to you, then save it! Gudis is mine!"

"But... " she started to question him but was at a loss for words.

"There is no world left to save! Save yourself... and save my son... " Suddenly, the ground shook and Gudis stirred in the ruins that had buried him. Godzilla looked at the mutation before him which breathed heavily as rage swelled in its eyes. "Leave... please!" he pleaded to Mothra.

"I will not abandon you. I can help you! And I must protect this planet. I can not let it be destroyed!"

"There is no longer any Earth to protect. The invaders have completely ruined it," Godzilla gasped. "My encounters with members of your race in the past have been far from peaceable. I have even tried destroying them before. Why would you desire to become my ally now?" Mothra extended her claw and placed it on Godzilla's. A blaze of telepathic images streaked through her mind and she began to feel the pain he was experiencing and cringed.

"Because I can tell the difference between good and evil and you are not evil. You are a creature that knows right from wrong. If an evil entity invades this planet, you protect it as I do," she explained.

"I appreciate your kindness toward me, Mothra, but I am dying and you can not do anything to stop it. It will just destroy you. It is my last request that you leave this terrible corrupted, destroyed world and flee into space where you can live on." Mothra felt a lump in her throat as she listened to Godzilla's gasping words.

"If you are going to die, then I shall die alongside you. Without an Earth to protect, what will I do? Mourn its destruction for the rest of my life?"

"I know what you mean but you are a goddess. Your power exceeds my own, even now. And you alone may be able to save and preserve the memory of this planet. I implore you! Please leave and save the Earth that is in your memory." Godzilla shuddered as he felt a terrible, sizzling sensation in his heart. "LEAVE NOW. PLEASE!" he roared.

Mothra flew toward him and softly touched his face with her tiny feet, laying her head down upon his. Her antennae glowed bright orange-yellow and sparkling dust shimmered onto the mighty creature who felt a brief respite from his burning pain and a small burst of renewed energy and strength.

"It is done, then," Mothra declared, pulling away from him.

"Go now," Godzilla insisted. "Before it is too late. And protect my son."

"I promise." Mothra looked once more upon the great dinosaur as she began to fly upward and turned her attention to the stars. Godzilla stood still and as his head tilted to watch her soar into the night, he heard the beautiful, soft and soothing music of the Guardian of the Earth.

And now Godzilla thought, Gudis will die!

The abomination erupted from the debris heading skyward as the Elias Seal shattered. He slammed into Mothra hard, dragging her back down as he proceeded to crush her head in his claws.

"You are no longer my equal! Now you die!" he rumbled before Godzilla blind-sided him, causing him to lose his grip. Mothra quickly sped away. Gudis turned, bringing his right knee up into Godzilla's chin, followed by a head butt and a mid-air flipping roundhouse kick to the side of his head. Godzilla managed to keep from falling and tried to blast the Gudis who quickly plummeted into the ground, taking advantage of Anguirus' burrowing skills to disappear from sight. He looked all about for any sign of movement.

Suddenly, the Gudis' tentacles shot forth out of the ground, wrapping around and pulling on his arms and legs. Godzilla roared defiantly as he painfully felt his limbs being slowly pulled out of their sockets. Summoning deep reserves of strength, he heaved with all his might, overpowering the shackles and ripping them from the ground.

An angry Gudis emerged right in front of him and they locked together in a test of strength, pushing against one another. Still holding him in their grappling contest, a waft of spores drifted off of the Gudis' body onto Godzilla. The kaiju flinched ever so slightly, shaking his head back and forth in a disoriented manner as the Gudis virus invaded his being. Godzilla roared in anger but he suddenly felt very dizzy, as if he was losing his sense of balance. He stumbled around, moving away from the Gudis until he fell to one knee.

"So this is how it ends for the so-called mightiest monster on the face of the planet... News flash, Dino: You have just been upstaged. Compared to me, you're about as dangerous as an irradiated Barney," Gudis taunted as he put a stiff kick to the rib cage of the weakening monster.

"And to think that the feeble vermin upon this miserable mud ball of a planet actually feared you! In your stead, I will teach them what true terror is!" The Gudis threw a right punch across Godzilla's temple. He had to prop himself up with his arms to keep from collapsing completely.

"Look at you! What a joke! Do you have any idea how long I have waited for this opportunity to have a throw-down with you? The mere idea of a confrontation with you has stirred my imagination since I first learned of your existence, or at least it once did. This is very disappointing." Gudis snapped with his hands outstretched from his sides as he kicked Godzilla square in the face, flipping him over onto his back.

"Ah, well... Perhaps it isn't a total loss. Maybe I'll make a pair of boots out of your scaly hide," Gudis joked sarcastically as Godzilla pushed himself to a sitting position. "In hand-to-hand combat, we may have been equals but on a sub-atomic level, you cannot hope to stand against me! Give it up. You don't stand a chance and you never did. This world, like so many others before it, is now...mine!

The Gudis unleashed a powerful energy shockwave that pushed the ever-weakening monster away. Godzilla looked up from the ground where he had landed to see Gudis barrelling at him to deliver even more punishment to his foe.

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Mothra, along with the Elias and the Doubijin, watched the battle in total disbelief of what they were seeing. It couldn't end like this. It just couldn't! The Earth, all that lived on it, the spirit of Gaia... Nothing but death and hopelessness would remain. And on top of it all, Gudis would be triumphant.

No... no... NO! I cannot except that! I shall not! Queen Mothra screamed telepathically as she soared into the heavens. The fairies knew what she was going to do before she even did it.

"Mothra! No!" Moll called out.

"You mustn't!" Lora yelled.

"Gaia, I beg thee in the name of all that is good and pure and just. Give me what remains of your power no matter the price! I must not, I can not allow the Earth to die! It must end here! It must stop now! Gaia please...HEAR ME!" she shouted as her body suddenly exploded in an awesome display of power.

The black skies clouded by ash and smoke above her parted as Queen Mothra generated a light so fierce and burning that it could be seen hundreds of miles away as if it were a second sun. Even Gudis took notice as he stopped beating on Godzilla to behold it, momentarily stunned by the spectacle.

But as the power intensified within her, she came to realize that it was too much even for her. Avatar of Gaia or not, Queen Mothra's physical body could only handle so much as she felt it start to literally tear her apart.

"It's too much. It's going to kill her!" Belvera cried out.

"She needs to expel the energy now before it is too late!" Zirkon yelled.

"Mothra! Let it go!" Lora wailed as Moll looked on, unable to speak. Her expression was a combination of fear and trepidation for in the midst of her struggle to contain what remained of Gaia's lifeforce, Mothra found herself being addressed telepathically.

_Bit off more than you could chew, didn't ya, bug? _Gudis taunted.

I... will... destroy you... she strained painfully to project her response.

_Not if you destroy yourself first. You just don't get it, do you? Even if the planet did go to hell in a hand basket from either the loss of Mana, the Kilaaks or Godzilla's detonation, it still wouldn't be enough to completely extinguish Gaia. As someone who's been trying to find a way to do so for 65 million years, who would know better than me? But now that you've gone off and pulled this little stunt, summoning all the Gaia energy that remains in the Earth to you, it's all over. And when you die... Gaia dies with you! _Gudis professed as the appalling reality of the situation struck her hard.

_So I suppose I should thank you for finally accomplishing what I have failed to do and removing the only true power in existence that ever posed a threat to me. In the end, when history looks back on this day, it will show that instead of me, it was one of Gaia's own children who killed her and truly destroyed this world once and for all! _Gudis finished with a crazed laugh.

Mothra was aghast. What have I done? The Gudis was right. She had now truly condemned herself, the Earth and Gaia.

_You are not strong enough, Mothra. You never were. _Gudis informed her.

That may be but I know someone who is! Mothra anguished as she looked down at the battlefield below and with a mighty shriek, expelled the energy from her body. It came down like a bolt of lightning, striking Godzilla where he lay on the ground.

Gudis staggered back in surprise as Godzilla rose to his feet with more power coursing through him than he had ever had before. The Gudis virus was burned completely out of his system. The monster king loosed a fearsome roar as his eyes and dorsal plates blazed a bright white while a glowing Elias Seal appeared on his chest.

"No..." Gudis mumbled in stunned disbelief at what he was seeing.

The fairies watched in astonished silence what was happening before them.

Gudis snarled as an angry Godzilla suddenly hit him with a potent energy shockwave that sent him flying. Lunging back up, the saurian connected with a right punch that caved in his sternum and put the Gudis down hard. In anger and frustration, he tried to get back in the fight but Godzilla nonchalantly back-handed him aside to plow face-first into the ground. The Gudis tried again with a swing of his own but Godzilla caught his fist in his right claw while thrusting his left out, clasping it around his neck.

Pulling him in close to his blazing red eyes and uttering an angry snarl, for the first time in the countless eons he had existed, the Gudis felt fear. It was evident in his face and an emotion which he had inflicted for centuries, never believing he would ever experience it himself.

"Get away from me!" the Gudis shrieked as he hit Godzilla with point-blank shots of his eye and breath beams but this didn't phase the Monster King who brought back his right hand to repeatedly punch his face until it was beaten almost beyond recognition.

In desperation, Gudis brought forth his tentacles but he screamed as the coils burned the moment they touched Godzilla's hide. The saurian's jaws glowed bright as a shot of his now far more powerful breath sent the aberration flying back with a horrendous explosion that put him into the base of the still-standing KDDI Building which crumbled and then fell down on top of him with an earth-shaking crash.

A few moments passed before the Gudis finally started to move beneath the rubble but it was not in the explosive or flamboyant manner he had before. His movements were feeble and hindered by the severe mangling of his physical body. Gudis painfully dragged himself across the ground and managed to force himself upright as Godzilla charged toward him. He struggled to lift up his arms and fire both arm beams but they seemed to bounce and arc off Godzilla's body harmlessly right before he tackled him. They both smashed through the lower half of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, cleaving the 248 meter structure down like a blade of grass as they came out the other side.

The weakened, badly mauled and mutilated alien managed to heave himself into a sitting position as Godzilla stared down at the vile wretch with utter contempt, his dorsal plates beginning to glow once more. Godzilla grabbed Gudis' arms, holding him in place as a blast of pure white spiral fire more powerful than anything he had ever used before bore into the cosmic devil.

As the Gaia-empowered fire blasted into him, flesh, muscle and sinew was torn from his torso and face as his rib cage exploded. Gudis' internal organs were incinerated and his eyes burst in their sockets as his brain melted into liquid inside his cooking skull. His still-pinioned arms were ripped from their sockets as the beam sent what remained of him hurtling through the air before crashing back down in a disgusting pile.

The nightmarish beast laid on the ground, quivering and twitching as the King of the Monsters slowly lumbered toward him.

Godzilla reached down, wrapped his right claw around Gudis' throat and wrenched him up off the ground to hold him up in the air and stare at him. The damage he was inflicting was so severe that the alien spawn's regeneration was having difficulty keeping up.

"You are beaten," Godzilla rumbled in kaiju-speak. "AND NOW YOU DIE!" he bellowed.

The great beast became the epicenter of an explosive blast like none other in the history of the planet. Even the catastrophic eruptions and shifts of the Earth itself during the last great geologic cataclysm paled in comparison as Godzilla's own already-amplified power combined with Gaia in an incredible primal energy storm. Amidst the flood of omnipotent fury, Gudis managed to get the final word.

"Death... is but a door... Time is but a window... and my time... shall come again."

The outpouring of energy then devoured him and a moment later, he was no more. The Gudis' 11 billion year reign of terror had finally reached its end.

From where Godzilla stood, the wave of raw Gaia energy rippled forth to circle the globe but this blast of tremendous power did not herald destruction but rejuvenation.

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As soon as the younger Gamera was out of range, the Gyaos moved in on the Atlantean warrior that remained like giant, convoluted sharks. His final bellows of pain wafted through the atmosphere and struck his sibling in the deepest reaches of his heart. The younger let out a cry of anguish as he felt the lifeforce of his brother fading.

It was then that the Gaia wave struck, much to the horror of the Gyaos who were atomized on contact. The elder Gamera felt his strength returning and his wounds healing as the spirit of the Earth burned within him once more. He did not understand what had happened but all that mattered was that somehow, he knew that the Earth was no longer doomed.

High above the planet, the younger guardian felt it as well and looked on in awe as he watched the planet's surface transform before his very eyes. Just as confused as his sibling but also grateful for this miracle, he shot back down toward the Earth.

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The energy crest traversed the planet's surface, halting the unstable irregularities caused by the draining of Mana and the Kilaaks' activities. Gaia, in its weakened state, could never have accomplished this but by using Godzilla's own colossal power and melding with it, the Earth was granted salvation.

The detonation of the kaiju's unstable body that should - and would have - caused his death and that of the Earth had instead given Gaia the energy needed to heal the world. The empowered swell that rolled across the heavenly body passed through everything it touched, leaving people and all other life forms it touched unharmed as it realigned the harmony of the planet's lifeforce once again.

In Pusan, the people there panicked momentarily as the powerful force surged through them. Arwen screamed for her father who grabbed and held her tightly as it hit them. Much to their surprise, they soon realized that they were completely unscathed.

Ironically, all of this could be laid at the feet of King Ghidorah and the Kilaaks. If Godzilla had not been struck by the Volcano Ray, his body would not have reached the power levels it did and his physical body would not have been strong enough to channel Gaia's force.

When the wave dissipated, all was quiet again. Back in Japan, Godzilla stood tall, back to his normal self before being struck by the Kilaak's terrible weapon. He walked over to a disoriented Mothra lying on the ground, finally regaining her senses.

"Are you alright?" Godzilla asked in kaiju-speak.

"Yes. I am sorry that I forced that transference upon you... I was out of options but in the end, you saved this world, Gaia and myself. Thank you."

"No. It is I who must thank you. The power you bestowed upon me saved my life and that of my home."

"We are both protectors of this world. It is our duty to look out for one another," Mothra proclaimed as she lifted off the ground.

"Although I am grateful, know that how I feel about the humans hasn't changed," Godzilla reminded her.

"I understand. We must each choose our own path," she assured the monster king. Godzilla nodded as he turned to lumber away.

Goodbye Godzilla. I pray that some day you find the peace that you seek

Nearby, the Elias and the Doubijin were awash in a mixture of relief and gratitude for both kaiju.

"I can't believe it. I-I can't believe we won! I thought we were all going to die..." Lora confessed, confounded by what had occurred.

"We almost did," Belvera reminded her.

"And Gaia with us," Zirkon added.

"Which is why we must never forget what has transpired on this day...and just how close we came to losing everything," Moll declared.

"The civilizations of Earth have suffered great damage," Oberon frowned.

"Yes, but they can be rebuilt. Where there is life, there is hope," Moll assured everyone.

"And what of the future?" Terius asked.

"We must remain vigilant," Belvera reminded them.

"As will Mothra," Lora chimed in.

"And not only her," Moll added with a smile as they watched Godzilla wade into Tokyo Bay.

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Aboard the Simeon mothership, the United World Powers leaders stood together, watching the monitors on the command bridge as the effects of the Gaia stream encircled the globe.

"What's happening down there?" Bordu exclaimed as Commander Argon looked to one of their science officers.

"The planet is...stabilizing, sir!" he exclaimed in awe.

"Stabilizing?"

"Yes, sir! At the very last second, Godzilla's energy signature changed drastically. Although that blast wave did indeed emanate from his position, something about it was odd. It defies our sensor readings, to be honest, sir... But as far as standard Earth read-outs go, oxygen levels, carbon dioxide levels; geographical, geological, eco-systems, ozone, weather patterns, life signs- "

"Meaning?" the Commander cut the quite excited Simeon off.

"The Earth...is... normal again, sir!"

"Could the equipment be malfunctioning?"

"No sir! Everything is working just fine. I even ran diagnostics to make sure."

Everyone present exchanged looks of amazement and bewilderment at the science officer's revelation. Nonetheless, the truth was being displayed right there on the screens in front of them.

The rulers and leaders of once-great nations who would not usually display such emotions fought back tears as they hung their heads in silence to mourn the loss of friends, family and allies in the titanic battle that had been fought. Their civilizations and the rich histories behind them had nearly been wiped out.

It was Bordu who finally broke the silence. "Commander? What are your orders?" Argon seemed at a loss for words as he glanced over at his allies. After a few more moments, he at last spoke.

"Take us... home," he ordered, still in disbelief.

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"What in blazes?" Tuket exclaimed as the sensors aboard the INFERNO picked up readings of what was transpiring on the Earth's surface.

"I do not know, sir! An incredible energy wave of some kind that our equipment can not identify is reverting the Earth back to it's original state! The volcanos are no longer erupting!"

"Where is this energy coming from?" his commander demanded.

"It appears to have originated in Japan, sir."

"Can you pinpoint it?"

"Just a moment, sir." The technician punched away furiously on a control console. "The source of the disturbance appears to be... Godzilla."

"What? How!"

"I do not know, sir.I have no other information," the crewman explained nervously as Tuket lunged from his seat and back-handed him aside to look at the readouts for himself. In total disbelief, the ancient Kilaak then spent a few moments lost in thought.

Everything we worked for, everything that we accomplished... all for nothing?

Tuket could not believe what was happening. The loss of King Ghidorah and the death of his King and lifelong friend were completely in vain

With an angry scream, Tuket grabbed hold of the sensor display and ripped it from the floor, heaving it up over his head before smashing it back broke into several pieces in a shower of sparks.

He let out one more bellow of frustration before hanging his head and returning to his command chair. Slowly sitting down, the rest of the crew looked on fearfully, not sure what would next.

"...Take us back to Kilaak," Tuket finally ordered. This is far from over he thought to himself.

His mind was already conceiving plots and plans of revenge as the INFERNO slowly pulled away. The Earth began to grow smaller and smaller on their viewscreen as they departed.

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In the aftermath of this incredible event, countless billions across the globe were left standing in wonderment, not entirely sure of what had just taken place.

Some spoke of divine intervention from God while others simply didn't care as long as they and their loved ones were alive, safe and well. The people of Earth attempted to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and begin anew.

Among them were Professor Dale Erickson and his daughter, Arwen.

"What just happened?" the Professor asked in bewilderment.

"It was Mothra, daddy! I could feel it. She saved us all!" the young girl hooted excitedly.

"Yes, I felt it, too. But that's not all. There was something else, another force besides hers. Powerful, primal, indomitable..." he tried to explain but it was beyond even his vast knowledge of physics and biology.

Though the pondering human could not figure it out, it was Godzilla's lifeforce that they were feeling along with Mothra's power, joined together with Gaia herself. The Professor looked at Arwen and removed something from his shirt pocket, holding it out to her.

"This is the experiment I have been working on," he explained. "This phial contains the memories of your mother." She touched it and smiled softly at her father.

"With her memories and our love, we shall go on... just as she would have wanted," he told her as they hugged each other.

_Aftermath_

Again back on Earth, the Elias filled in their UWP compatriots on what had unfolded. To say that they were all stunned beyond measure would be an understatement.

To think that a creature that at one time was considered this world's greatest bane had been the one who saved it; a beast that had been nearly killed and then ejected from the Earth like so much garbage. The irony of it was truly stifling and not lost on those who once considered the kaiju king a scourge upon the planet.

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Sometime later, the royal wedding of King Hector and Queen Angelique took place in Seatopia, followed by a grand feast of celebration which all of the prominent UWP members attended. During the wedding dinner in the main banquet hall, King Hector called for a toast.

"If I may have your attention please, my friends! Tonight we celebrate my blessed union with my beloved Queen," he began, looking over at his blushing bride. "And with that, a great victory; one snatched from the jaws of death itself.

We are also gathered here to celebrate our proud alliance as the various races and peoples, both Earth-born and extraterrestrial, come together as one, despite our differences or former grudges with one another, sharing the will to live and fight on, no matter what the odds or the cost. That is the ultimate test of unity. We came together to face what we thought was the end but this is not the end at all. Instead, it is a new beginning!"

Everyone present raised their goblets high as the Mu Empress stood to speak.

"It has been an honor and a pleasure fighting and serving alongside you all. The bonds formed between us through all that we have endured shall remain strong for all time to come."

"HERE HERE!" Everyone shouted in unison.

"And though you have already heard it at least a hundred times tonight already, thank you to both Mothra and the fairies," Arnold Johnson added as he rose and bowed in their direction.

Moll slowly stood up from a tiny table set on the dais so that the Elias and Anari could share the festivities with their allies.

"Our gratitude belongs entirely to Mothra...and to Godzilla. Regardless of how our allies gathered here this night think of him, the truth remains that if not for Godzilla, we would not be here and the Earth would have been destroyed.

"Whether or not we realize it or accept it, Godzilla is a guardian of this world and that has now been proven without a shadow of a doubt," she explained as she lifted her own tiny goblet up high." To Godzilla. May any evil that threatens this planet fear his wrath!" she finished proudly.

For a moment, no one moved or spoke a word, as if unsure of how to respond. The rest of the fairies exchanged worried glances. Then slowly but surely, General Aso, of all people, was the first to rise.

"HERE HERE!" he shouted, lifting his goblet. As everyone present watched him wide-eyed, they quickly followed his example, rising to their feet as one.

"HERE HERE!" They all rang out.

After the formalities had been concluded, the General was standing in the main courtyard, pondering what Moll had said when Commander Argon approached him.

"General Aso," he greeted him with a bow when the human looked over his shoulder at him. He nodded and then turned back around.

"It is funny..." he suddenly said after having remained silent for a moment.

"What is?" Argon wondered.

"When I was first put in charge of G-FORCE years ago, it was made very clear to me that the defeat and/or death of Godzilla was my - and our nation's - top priority. For several years, I carried out that task to the best of my ability, regardless of the countless failures or set-backs we experienced along the way.

"I was driven by one stern and uncompromising belief that when Godzilla was removed, our country - and for that matter, the entire world - would finally prosper as it never had before. And then, he finally was stopped..." Aso trailed off with a sigh.

"Things seldom seem to go as planned in the bigger scheme of things..." Argon figured.

"Sure, Godzilla had faced off against other dangers to both us and the Earth, inadvertently saving and protecting it a number of times over the decades but it never occurred to me even once that his presence was the only thing keeping even greater threats at bay.

"I was so obsessed with destroying him that nothing else seemed to matter. And then on top of all that, to have him come back and for all intents and purposes, save us all? I remember the late great King Antonio suggesting that Godzilla may have been an inadvertent defender but I never took his statement seriously. Until now." The General shook his head.

"It certainly makes one think, doesn't it?" the Simeon Commander smiled. It was then that Bordu stepped up alongside the Simeon leader.

"So Godzilla saves the world... again."

"So it would seem," Argon replied.

"So do you still want to kill him after all this?" Bordu asked the General.

"Well, technically, Japan's policy regarding Godzilla is still currently unchanged..."

"I didn't ask what Japan's policy was on Godzilla. I asked if you still wanted to kill him," the alien Adjutant pressed on. General Aso exhaled deeply, lowering his head as he turned toward them.

"I will do what I have always done: Follow the orders of the Prime Minister. Maybe Godzilla is supposed to be some mythological protector of the Earth. Maybe he isn't. I really do not know. What I do know is that 'this time' he saved our bacon and then some.

"But if he ever returns to Japanese soil again to feed or destroy, I will do what must be done as the Defense Chief of the Global Defense Force," Aso stated, almost apologetically. "Now if you will both excuse me?" He bowed to the two Simeons and left the courtyard.

"Are you trying to make Godzilla out to be some kind of hero, rookie?" Argon asked him with an amused expression.

"I dunno... Maybe? I'm not sure. He's not evil. Not like Gudis or King Ghidorah..."

"True."

"Do you think he will ever catch a break?"

"I doubt it."

"We were able to forge a peace with the humans. Is it so far out of the realm of possibility that some day, the human race and Godzilla might reach some kind of understanding?"

"Well, I suppose anything is possible, rookie. Only time will give us the answers," Argon admitted.

"It isn't over yet, is it, sir?"

"No, Bordu. It's not. There will always be more invasions, more monsters, more challenges for us all."

"Can we still consider this a happy ending?"

"There are no happy endings because nothing ends. Life will go on, despite whatever surprises tomorrow has in store."

"And today?"

"We mourn our fallen friends, be thankful we are still alive and start to rebuild."

"Sounds close enough to a happy ending to me!" Bordu grinned.

_EPILOGUE_

And thus, the time period in Earth's history that would come to be known as The Alien Incursion Wars came to an end.

Although it may not have lasted as long as other terrible or brutal wars waged in the planet's history, the magnitude of the violence and bloodshed created by it were enough to last a lifetime. Indeed, the ramifications of this planetary struggle would be far-reaching and never forgotten.

But after all the battles, politics, alliances and back-stabbing between a wide array of races from all four corners of the galaxy had run their course, it was a monster - a monster like no other that decided the final outcome.

A beast showed just how puny and insignificant all the plans and designs made by those who would propose to be this world's rulers truly were. And in the end, he showed the fate of those who would dare lay claim to his world, his home, his kingdom. A juggernaut of raw unstoppable power that took no prisoners and suffered no fools, he was Godzilla, now and forevermore the true King of All Monsters.

_"Nature has a way sometimes of reminding Man of just how small he is. She occasionally throws up the terrible offsprings of our pride and carelessness to remind us of how puny we really are in the face of a tornado, an earthquake, or a Godzilla. The reckless ambitions of Man are often dwarfed by their dangerous consequences. For now, Godzilla - that strangely innocent and tragic monster - has gone to earth. Whether he returns or not, or is never again seen by human eyes, the things he has taught us remain." - Steve Martin _

_The End_


	22. Acknowledgments

I should have done this back when I first posted the story, but better late than never. Time to give a shout out to all the people who worked long and hard on this book.

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Gojira2000 - Co-creator/ Writer/Concept Artist - EVAN SIZEMORE

Primary writing credits: Kentrus, Sarrious, Ic'den and all related Xians/Xilliens, Monster X, Cillian Bakker, Anguirus Jr. and other Monsterland kaiju.

Born in 1986, Evan learned of Godzilla at age two and was instantly hooked, thanks in part to his already obsessive love of dinosaurs.

Having always been a lover of kaiju aliens, one day an idea which actually had merit came about. Neal(Mecha74) had created a thread on the Kaijuphile Forums that offered him the opportunity to suggest his ideas, which Gertrude(Raptor) noticed. The rest is history, resulting in one of the most epic and ingenious fan fiction tales ever written, thanks entirely to its various writers.

In addition to this and other writing projects, Evan has an undying love of music, is an amateur artist and is teaching himself the Japanese language.

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Pure Funkadelic Evil - Writer - LOGAN SHELTON

Primary writing credits: Lord Koban, Darious Kugo and all related Mysterians, King Kong, Dr. Who, the Mogera

Logan was born January 26, 1991. Near the age of four, he began his love for kaiju when he received a copy of _KING KONG VS. GODZILLA_. Falling in love with the saurian kaiju, he sought out to find more of his film exploits until Godzilla turned into an outright passion.

With the advent of the Internet, Logan discovered that his tiny collection of Godzilla movies was only the tip of the iceberg and that a whole new era of them existed. Around this time, he also discovered the old Universal Pictures classic monster movies which eventually led to his love for horror films, as well as additional appreciation for science fiction.

Over the years, he has gained much knowledge of these films and is always up for discussion about them. In mid-2005, Logan was given the honor to portray the Mysterians in _WHEN ALIENS ATTACK!_, his first official writing experience for a kaiju fan fiction. While on the project, he has learned much on the subject of writing, made some terrific new friends and has a newfound love for his premiere kaiju in the story, King Kong.

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Mecha-Rodan - Writer - MATTHEW TRACY

Primary writing credits: King Karkaru, Tuket and all related Kilaaks, King Ghidorah, Gamera, The Gyaos

Born in Pennsylvania on June 27, 1989 and raised in North Carolina, Matt has always been a creative person, loving to draw, write and play music.

His involvement in _WHEN ALIENS ATTACK!_ started when it received its own forum and he took an interest in it. The story has since become the biggest and greatest fan fiction project Matthew has ever become a part of. He handles the key roles of the Kilaaks and King Ghidorah, as well as other characters.

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Eternal Mothra - Writer - DONNY WINTER

Primary writing credits: The Elias fairies Moll, Lora and Belvera, The Doubijin, Mothra, Battra, Biollante, Death Ghidorah, Prof. Dale Erickson

Born December 30, 1988, Donny was very much attracted to anything that had to do with Godzilla at the age of four. As he grew older, he developed a strong affinity with the kaiju Mothra, who now is his favorite.

Despite his loyalty to Mothra, Donny loves each and every kaiju and writing fan fiction about them as well. During the time he has been at various kaiju-oriented forums on the Internet, Donny made some very special friends. Evan and Neal especially came through when they allowed him to participate in their fictional creation, _WHEN ALIENS ATTACK!_, the birth of a new realm of the imagination for him.

Writing and playing music are two of his everlasting hobbies and Donny enjoys every chance he gets to demonstrate both abilities. _WHEN ALIENS ATTACK!_ was a very alluring chance for him to use his writing skills and he truly enjoyed working with his comrades on this amazing story.

Donny is currently working on a decent sized fan fiction called _MODRA 3_. Once this is complete, he plans on starting _THE SPIRIT OF MODRA_ with two original kaiju being the stars. He is also working on an original fictional novel called _THE FORESTS OF FUJIYAMA_. After completing the first story, he plans on developing it into a trilogy.

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Darkside Reject - Writer - RYAN DEMPSEY

Primary writing credits: King Antonio and Prince Hector, Megalon

Born June 28, 1991, Ryan first became obsessed with kaiju eiga upon viewing _GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA_ (1974) at the wee age of nine. Hooked ever since, these early films sparked his interest in film directing and the industry as a whole. Since then, he has developed skills in art, writing and film making - all thanks to these films that ignited his young imagination.

Ryan plans to attend the Ryerson Film Academy and begin his career as a director. Currently, he is working on a Veterans' Day Memorial short film for school. In the meantime, he enjoys drawing and writing sporadically.

An early member of the _WAA!_ crew, Ryan brainstormed and took part in the project enthusiastically until a combination of writer's block and inconsistent online time caused him to fall behind as the story progressed. Unable to keep up, he passed on his parts to Neal who continued to develop his characters throughout the duration of the production.

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Neo-Crucifer - Writer - KENT GERMAIN

Primary writing credits: Master C'seris and all other related Virans

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Raptor - Publisher / Editor / Writer - GERTRUDE SMITH

Primary writing credits: Secretary of Defense James Ramsey and all other Advocates, Chairman Fumio Subo and other Nebulans

Born in 1947 in North Dakota, Gertrude still enjoys dinosaurs and science fiction, having had ready access to museums, monsters and aliens via a wealth of '50s (and beyond) books, films and television in Washington, D.C. and then other parts of the country, thanks to the Air Force.

Writing soon followed and what might be considered a hobby by many has served her well from junior high school to the present. Magazines, newspapers and now the Internet are just a few venues for her fiction and non-fiction efforts. Fellow kaiju eiga fans encouraged keeping giant monsters rampaging between seemingly less frequent films, from magazines and conventions to online forums.

In 2003, (Kaijuphile forum member) Varan101 conceived the idea of honoring Godzilla's 50th "birthday" with the EYEWITNESS project which set up shop at Rodan's Roost (now ). Gertrude provided the editing (along with a story) and Sauron, the Kaijuphile webmaster, hosted the anthology. With the advent of additional web space, the Fan Nest came into being, along with ROOSTVILLE. Via round robin story-telling on the forum, the "town" thrived on even further tales of giant monsters and the fans who love them.

Like applying writing skills to the "real world", Gertrude found that the opposite also works when it comes to Roostville, especially around April Fools! Since content in the Fan Nest is generated by the Kaijuphile members, having an understanding of HTML coding came in handy. This also proved true when her real home town began looking into having a "web presence", from City Hall to the county's social services providers.

Gertrude assures all aspiring webmasters that stimulating material such as _WHEN ALIENS ATTACK!_ makes the "work" aspect of editing and coding most enjoyable. Seeing the project on the World Wide Web is an additional bonus.

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Additional material provided by Kaiser Kronos and BS Digital Q(Daniel Hoins)

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Mecha74 - Co-creator / Writer / Graphics - NEAL KRAFTHEFER

Primary writing credits: Commander Argon, Private Bordu, Mugar and all related Black Hole Simeons, Gudis, Mechagodzilla, Titanosaurus, Mu Queen and all other related Mu people, Manda, King Antonio, Prince Hector, Angelique and all other related Seatopians, Megalon, Fumio Subo, Kubota and all other related Nebulans, Gigan, General Takai Aso, Captain Douglas Gordon, First officer Koji Nanbara, The Gotengo, Gary Adams, Secretary Of Defense James Ramsey and all other Advocates, Godzilla and damn near almost every other monster in the book.

Now in his 30s, Neal first discovered Godzilla at age six and immediately became obsessed with the Kaiju King and all of his over-sized brethren. As time passed, he embraced various other kaiju of the genre as well.

Neal started writing while still very young but nothing substantial until age 17. Daring to write cross-overs involving Godzilla and other movie and TV franchises, he knew it wasn't going to win any popularity contests but didn't care at the time and still doesn't. As for _WHEN ALIENS ATTACK!_, Neal feels that an earlier quote of his in a thread on the Kaijuphile forums sums it up best:

"The WHEN ALIENS ATTACK! sub-forum and story initially created and started by Gertrude and Evan has re-invigorated my writing like never before! True, anyone who keeps track of the Fan Nest and its writing sections knows that I consistently posted fiction there the entire first year I was at Kaijuphile but most of those stories were already written before I even joined the forums.

Thus, the _WHEN ALIENS ATTACK!_ story is an undertaking for me like nothing else that I have ever attempted before and also is the first time I have ever been part of a writing collaboration with others ... These and other writers have inspired me to new heights of creativity."

Back in 2007 the project stalled and remained dormant until May of 2009 when Gertrude contacted Neal and suggested finishing the story once and for all. None of the other writers returned so as a result Neal wrote over a hundred pages of new material that expanded and fleshed out various characters as well as writing still unfinished scenes left behind by other writers. And now finally after 3 years of hard work, WAA is finally complete.


End file.
